RECOGNISING PLANT FAMILIES AND IDENTIFYING PLANTS

Aim

Distinguish between different plant families and to become proficient at identifying plants.

The best way to build your ability to identify plants is by working with or handling a variety of different

plants on a daily basis.

The first ten plant names you learn are always much more difficult than the next ninety.

Similarly, the first 100 names are always much more difficult than the next 900.

If you plan to be a skilled gardener, landscape designer, or horticulturist: you need to learn to identify

hundreds of different plants.

As you have seen earlier; there is a system in identifying plant names.

BECOME FAMILIAR WITH PLANT FAMILIES

If you can get to know the way the system works, and the broad categories, the whole thing starts to

make a great deal more sense. Each new name you confront is able to be associated with things and

remembered more easily.

FOR EXAMPLE:

“When I see a plant with a daisy flower, I immediately know that it is in the Asteraceae family.

Even if the genus is new to me, I will be more likely to remember it because I’m not only thinking: This is

the genus of this new plant, but I am also thinking: This new genus is in the Asteraceae family.

In essence, my brain is registering two pieces of information instead of one and that doubles the

likelihood of me remembering the plant.

BECOME FAMILIAR WITH LATIN

Plant naming is based on the ancient Roman language of Latin.

For most people scientific names are a foreign language when they start learning them.

In the same way that it can be hard to pronounce a French or Chinese word for the language student it

can be difficult to pronounce a new plant name for the horticulture student.

The horticulture student has one huge advantage though. It doesn’t really matter how you pronounce

plant names. The system of plant naming is all about how you write them, and experts all over the world

pronounce the same names all sorts of different ways.

As you become familiar with different names and more comfortable with using them, it then becomes a

great deal easier to read, remember, and even pronounce new names that you come across.

ONCE YOU KNOW THE PLANT FAMILY, IT’S A LOT EASIER TO FIND OUT THE GENUS

YOUR FIRST AIM

Your first important task should be to learn some of the most common plant families, and the things that

distinguish plants as belonging to that family.

When you know a plant belongs to the Asteraceae family, in an attempt to identify it, you may only need

to look through photographs in 2% of a book, of plants belonging to that family. If you don’t know what

family it belongs to though, you may need to look through the entire book.

The first step is to determine if the plant is an Angiosperm (flowering plant) or not.

Angiosperms are plants that produce flowers, and these make up most of our garden and crop plants.

Plants that are not angiosperms include Ferns, Conifers, Mosses and Algae. None of these plants

produce a flower.

If the plant is an Angiosperm it will either be a Dicotyledon or a Monocotyledon.

You can tell these two groups apart easily as follows:

MONOCOTYLEDON CHARACTERISTICS DICOTYLEDON CHARACTERISTICS

When a seed germinates, only one leaf

(ie. cotyledon) emerges from the seed at first.

When a seed germinates, two leaves emerge with the

first growth.

Leaf veins usually run parallel to each other Leaves normally have branching veins that fan out

and are not parallel to each other (but there are

exceptions)

The stem doesn’t form growth rings The stem forms growth rings. (ie. if you cut through

the trunk of a tree, you can tell the number of years it

has lived by counting the rings)

Flower parts usually occur in multiples of three

(eg. three petals) –but there are exceptions

Number of flower parts vary from family to family

Has a fibrous root system Has a main tap root with lateral branches

EXAMPLES OF MONOCOTYLEDONS EXAMPLES OF DICOTYLEDONS

Daffodil, Tulip, Grasses, Hippeastrum, Sedges

Eucalyptus, Maple, African Violet, Pea, Cucumber

WHAT IS THE WOOD LIKE?

Another major way to distinguish plants is by the hardness or softness of the tissue.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WOODY PLANTS HERBACEOUS PLANT CHARACTERISTICS

Older wood in stems is hard.

It would be difficult for the average person to

crush even a small piece of stem (say 5mm

thick) between your fingers.

Older wood is soft.

Stems are difficult to mark significantly with

your finger nails

Stems are easy to mark with your finger nails

When you crush wood (not leaves), not much

moisture is squeezed out

When a stem (not leaf) is crushed, drops of moisture

can be squeezed out.

Mostly Dicotyledons Includes most monocotyledons, and some

dicotyledons as well.

TRY LEARNING THE FOLLOWING FLOWERING PLANT FAMILIES TO START WITH:

Some plant families are more common than others. Some families are also very easy to recognise. Try

learning the characteristics of the following common plant families:

AMARYLLIDACEAE

• Monocotyledons

• Contains more than 65 genera

• Most are herbaceous

• Most are small clump forming herbs or bulbs

• Leaves are usually narrow, often strap like

• Flowers have what looks like 6 petals surrounding a cup or tube like crown (in fact these are three

petals and three sepals). The cup is more obvious in some genera than others.

• Flowers have 6 stamens

• Genera in this family include: Alstroemeria, Amaryllis, Clivia, Cooperia, Crinum, Cyrtanthus, Eucharis,

Galanthus, Haemanthus, Hymenocallis, Hypoxis, Lycoris, Narcissus, Nerine, Sprekelia, Vallota and

Zephranthes.

These strappy leaves are common in the Amaryllidaceae family

Typical flowers of the Amaryllidaceae family

ARACEAE

• Commonly called “Aroids”

• Monocotyledons

• Most are herbaceous

• Contains around 115 genera

• Leaves are usually roughly heart shaped

• Fruit is a berry

• Flowers are small and clustered into a spike (often a finger like protrusion), with a single often colourful

leafy like structure. These are commonly called “spathe” flowers.

• Genera include Acorus, Anthurium, Calla, Caladium, Calocasia, Diffenbachia, Philodendron,

Syngonium, Zantedeschia

A typical Araceae leaf

A typical flower of the Araceae family, showing the distinctive spike and surrounding spadix

ASTERACEAE (formerly called Compositae)

• Commonly known as Daisies

• Dicotyledons

• Many are herbaceous, but not all.

• A very large family of about 800 genera and 12,000 species.

• Flowers are actually a composite of several small flowers fused together to appear as one flower.

• If the flower is pulled apart it can be seen that it is made up of several individual units, each one having

its own set of floral parts (ie. petal, stamen, stigma, ovary etc). Some Asteraceae flowers are

incomplete and have only some of the floral parts. Typically, the outer flowers have “ray florets”, which

look like the petals of the “larger” composite flower.

• Leaf shapes vary a lot.

• Many have a white milk sap –but there are many exceptions

• Genera include Achillea, Aster, Bellis, Chrysanthemum, Cinneraria, Centaurea, Coreopsis, Dahlia,

Erigeron, Helianthus (Sunflower), Helichrysum, Lettuce(Lactuca), Tagates (Marigold), Pyrethrum,

Rhodanthe, Rudbeckia, Senecio, Tansy (Tanacetum), and Zinnia

Typical “flowers” from the Asteraceae family – really these flower heads are each one, made up of a lot of

individual flowers joined together to create what looks like a single flower.

ERICACEAE (Heath Family)

• Commonly called the Heath Family

• Dicotyledons

• Around 70 genera and 2000 species, but tens of thousands of named cultivars.

• Most are shrubs or small trees, with woody stems.

• Occur mostly in cooler places (eg. temperate climates or mountain regions in the tropics)

• Grow naturally and best on organic acid soil.

• Leaves are frequently evergreen, and often more or less leathery (but there are plenty of exceptions)

• Leaves normally alternate up the stem (sometimes whorled, rarely opposite)

• Flowers have 4 to 5 sepals and 4 to 5 petals arranged evenly, often tube like.

• The fruit is frequently a capsule, but sometimes a berry.

• Genera include Andromeda, Arbutus, Calluna, Daboecia, Erica, Kalmia, Pieris, Rhododendron (which

includes Azalea), and Vaccinium (ie. Blueberry)

Rhododendron

Erica

LAMIACEAE (= Labiatae)

• Commonly called the Mint family.

• Dicotyledons

• Many are herbaceous

• Includes around 160 genera and 3000 species.

• Stems are roughly four sided (i.e. similar to a square or rectangle in cross section).

• Leaves are simple (ie. not divided like a pinnate leaf), and are whorled.

• Flowers are two lipped (ie. Half of the petals are larger and fused to make the top section and the

other half smaller, joined together to make a lower section.

• Often the foliage is covered with small dots containing a volatile oil. This allows identification by smell

when leaves are crushed

• Genera include: Coleus, Lavendula (Lavender), Mentha (Mints), Origanum (Oregano and Marjoram),

Plectranthus, Prostranthera, Rosmarinus (Rosemary), Salvia (Sage)Thymus (Thyme), Westringia.

Typical Lamiaceae plants

FABACEAE (= Papilionaceae)

• Commonly called the Pea family

• A Dicotyledon

• Includes both herbaceous and woody plants

• The 'Peas' were reclassified in recent years, splitting the one old family Leguminosae (ie. Legumes),

into three new families (ie. Caesalpinaceae, Mimosaceae and Fabaceae or Papilionaceae). Many

people still use the old name though.

• All legumes are characterised by a pod type fruit.

• There are around 500 different genera of legumes

• Fabaceae flowers are pea shaped, with 5 sepals and 5 petals. Unlike other legumes, 2 of the 5 petals

are joined to form a “keel” or boat like structure. The other 3 petals are free or separate one from the

other

• Fabaceae genera include: Arachis (Peanut), Cytisus (Broom), Dillwynia, Glycine (Soybean),

Hardenbergia, Kennedya, Medicago (Lucerne), Phaseolus (Pea and Bean), Trifolium (Clover),

Wisteria.

Examples of Legumes

MORE PLANT FAMILIES TO GET TO KNOW

BRASSICACEAE (= Crucifereae)

• Dicotyledons

The Brassicas include about 200 genera and 1800 species from temperate and sub-arctic regions. All

are herbaceous (ie. soft wooded) and most are annuals. Flowers are small, but in large numbers,

therefore, conspicuous. They are complete, regular and hypogenous. There are four sepals and four

petals. There are six stamens, four longer than the other two (eg. Cabbage, Turnip, Radish, Mustard,

Kale, Kohl rabi, Wild turnip etc).

SOLANACEAE

• A Dicotyledon

• Includes both herbaceous and woody plants.

The Solanum family includes such things as tomato, potato, capsicum, egg plant, petunia, belladonna,

tobacco and weeds like deadly nightshade. The flowers are generally five lobed (ie. 5 petals and 5

sepals).

ROSACEAE

• A Dicotyledon

• Most are woody, but there are exceptions.

The Rose family includes a wide variety of genera commonly used in amenity horticulture (e.g. Rose,

Prunus, Pyracantha, Cydonia, Malus, Cotoneaster, Spirea, Geum etc). There are trees, shrubs and

herbaceous perennials all represented in this family. Flowers are generally regular, and the parts are

borne on a floral disc. Fruits are usually soft or berry like encasing a hard seed.

RUTACEAE

• A Dicotyledon.

• Commonly known as the Citrus family.

• Around 150 genera, and over 1,600 species

• Occur from tropics to temperate areas, particularly from Australia and Africa.

• Most are woody shrubs and trees, but some are herbaceous.

• Leaves are scented, dotted with oil glands.

• Flowers have 4 or 5 sepals and 4 or 5 petals.

• Flowers normally have 10 stamens, but sometimes 8.

• Genera include: Boronia, Calodendron, Choisya, Citrus, Coleonema (Diosma), Correa, Crowea,

Diplolaena, Eriostemon, Evodia, Fortunella, Geijera, Murraya, Phebalium, Ruta (Rue), and Zieria.

MYRTACEAE

• A Dicotyledon

• Most are woody.

The Myrtle family is very significant among Australian and Asian plants. Foliage characteristically has oil

glands (seen as small faint dots on the leaf), and if bruised, a characteristic aroma can be detected.

Petals on the flowers are usually insignificant. Examples of genera include: Eucalyptus, Callistemon,

Melaleuca, Agonis, Angophera, Tristania, Astartea, Thryptomene, Bauera, Baeckea, Micromyrtus,

Leptospermum, Eugenia, Myrtus, Feijoa, etc.

PROTEACEAE

• A Dicotyledon

The Protea family also tends to have insignificant petals and like the myrtles, is well represented in

Australian and African flora. These plants tend to have dry, thick leaves. Seeds are large having a mass

of furry hairs attached. Examples of genera include: Protea, Leucadendron, Leucospermum, Banksia,

Leucopogon, Isopogon, Telopea, Dryandra, etc.

ORCHIDACEAE

• A Monocotyledon

• Herbaceous plants

The Orchids include around 15,000 species, mainly from warmer climates, but with some extending into

colder temperate regions. Flowers are showy and complex. The corolla is irregular. The stamens unite

with the pistil to form a structure called the column. All forms are perennial and have thickened roots, or

tuberous or bulbous roots.

LILIACEAE

• A Monocotyledon

• Herbaceous plants

The Lilies include some 2000 species, many being bulbs commonly cultivated for amenity purposes. The

flowers have 6 petals, usually separate, but sometimes fused (joined). The ovary is superior (sits above

the point where you find the base of the petals). Examples include: Asparagus, Allium (onions), Tulipifera

(Tulip), Hyacinthus (Hyacinth), Lilium and Aloe

POACEAE (=Graminae)

• A Monocotyledon

• Most are herbaceous, but not all

The Grasses include around 4500 species. Most are herbaceous though a few are woody (such as the

bamboos).

These include some of our most significant crop plants e.g. wheat, barley and oats.

HOW MANY PLANTS DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

*This depends on the type of job you have

• Most good horticulture certificates will teach you to identify at least 250 different plants

• Most good diplomas will teach you how to identify at least 1000 different plants.

• A retail nursery may sell 500 to several thousand different plants, and would expect their staff to

be familiar with the majority of plants that are being sold.

• A home garden on a 1000 square metre or quarter acre block of land could contain several dozen

to several hundred different plants. A landscape designer or contractor should be able to identify

all of the plants they are working with.

OTHER WAYS TO LEARN TO IDENTIFY MORE PLANTS

Like most things in life, the more you see a plant, the more likely you are to remember it.

Watch plant identification videos and make notes of what you see.

Check out what is available through our bookshop: http://www.acsbookshop.com

Look at our online plant directory: http://www.acsgarden.com

People who work in nurseries, or visit and browse at nurseries will find it so much easier to learn plant

names than someone who rarely ventures away from a book or computer. Visit some nurseries, and

read the plant labels.

When you propagate, pot up and give away (or sell) dozens of the same plant, the name tends to be

remembered more easily.

Start a Plant Collection. In many of our standard Distance Education courses, we require you to put

together and submit a plant collection. This is a technique that is widely used by other schools around the

world. Even if you do not undertake such a collection as part of a course, it can still be a great way to

build your plant knowledge.

Visit gardens and garden shows and make notes of anything you see (take photos if you can).

Join a garden club, society or association. Mixing and talking with other people who can identify plants

will help develop your own ability.

Visit your local botanical gardens where plants are labelled with their scientific names. When travelling,

visit the botanic gardens in different cities to learn more about different plant varieties and how they grow

in different climates/locations.

WHAT CAN YOU GROW WHERE?

The following selections of plants come from a wide range of climates.

You should be able to find something on this list to grow in most parts of the world.

These articles are presented to raise your awareness of how different environmental factors might affect what can be grown where. You need to consider the fact that such factors don’t only reflect the country or region you come from; but also lots of other considerations that can vary from place to place, even within the one small garden.

GROWING PLANTS IN THE SHADE

One of the many bonuses of trees in the garden is the lovely cool shade they provide over summer.

However, shade from large trees can also cause a range of different problems for plants and gardens:

• Reduced light can restrict plant growth. Many plants in shaded areas will appear weak and leggy, with

poor flowering.

• Shaded areas are cooler than adjacent open areas. Whilst this is generally a benefit to the garden,

growth in shaded areas may be slow in cool climates.

• Shade encourages the growth of moss and algae on the ground (including paths), making them

slippery.

• Water in shaded areas does not dry up so readily.

• Roots from large shade trees compete with smaller plants growing below them.

• Soil under trees can be quite dry, as the overhanging leaf canopy prevents water penetration.

• Foliage from some trees (e.g. conifers) may be toxic to plants below.

• Roots of some trees may give off toxins which inhibit growth of other plants (e.g. Mulberry).

• Leaf or branch drop from trees may smother or damage low-growing plants below.

• Trees restrict ventilation (air movement), which may encourage disease problems in shaded areas.

PLANTS SUITED TO FULL SHADE

Acalypha wilkesiana Agapanthus

Bauera rubioides Begonia

Boronia mollis Bromeliads

Camellia Chlorophytum

Clivia Convallaria (Lily of the valley)

Cotoneaster dammeri Cotoneaster dielsiana

Dampiera diversifolia Daphne odora

Epacris impressa Euphorbia wulfenii

Galanthus (snowdrops) Gyneura sarmentosa

Hedera (Ivy) Helleborus (Christmas rose)

Hosta Hydrangea

Iresine herbstii Impatiens

Iris cristata Kennedya prostrata

Lamium Nandina domestica

Pieris japonica Plumbago capensis

Philodendron Primula

Ranunculus Saxifraga

Selaginella Tetratheca ciliata

Thryptomene Vinca major (Periwinkle)

FERNS GROW WELL IN SHADE

Ferns are ideal for growing in shady areas as they are naturally adapted to growing in conditions of low

light. Different varieties can tolerate different levels of shade and soil moisture, so use the following lists

to choose ferns which suit your particular problem area.

You can find ferns suited for growing in most climates from tropical to very cold climates.

Sun Tolerant Varieties

Ferns are rarely suited to full sun, though the following will perform reasonably well with some direct

sunlight in morning and afternoon.

They will need filtered sunlight in the hottest part of the day and at the hottest time of the year.

Hardy to full sun if soil remains moist and humidity is high:

Blechnum occidentale, Cibotium glaucum, Dicksonia antarctica, Dryopteris noveboracensis, Osmunda

(all varieties), Pteridium aquilinum and Sphaeropteris cooperi.

Hardy with some shading in the hottest part of the day:

Davallia trichomanoides, Doodia media, Dryopteris erythrosora,Nephrolepsis cordifolia, Pellaea (most

species),

Platycerium (most species), Polypodium aureum, Polystichum polyblepharum, Pteris cretica, Pteris vittata

and Todea barbara.

Dry Soil Ferns

All ferns perform better with cool, moist soil. Some ferns however, can tolerate drier and more exposed

conditions:

Blechnum occidentale, Davallia trichomanoides, Nephrolepsis cordifolia, Polypodium aurea, Pteridium

aquilinium, Pteris cretica, Pteris vittata, Woodwardia fimbriata.

GROWING PLANTS IN EXPOSED COASTAL GARDENS

You’re on holidays at the beach house, or you live in a coastal town, and you’re having problems

growing plants in the garden. Maybe your plants are yellowing, burnt or stunted, or possibly you can’t

even get them established in the first place. If this sounds familiar, we’ll give you some ideas on how to

overcome common problems in growing plants by the coast.

Firstly, you may need to change your expectations. You can’t grow the same range of plants that

flourish a few kilometres inland – many plants simply can’t tolerate the salt levels, dry sandy soil and

wind exposure of the coast. If your ideal garden is a lush green lawn surrounded by roses and azaleas,

forget it - you’ll always be struggling against the natural conditions and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever

achieve a really healthy and attractive garden. It’s better to choose plants adapted to seaside growing

and modify the site to encourage these to grow to the best of their ability.

Depending on how close you are to the sea, and how exposed your garden is, there are several

problems which you will need to deal with. The most severe are high salt levels both in the soil, and

carried in wind and water sprays, and physical damage from strong winds.

Dealing with Salt

Salt is carried by wind and is deposited on the plants and onto the soil. It can cause severe leaf burn

and defoliation. Over time the plants become stunted and fail to thrive, especially those growing on the

seaward side. The problem is compounded as salt accumulates in the soil.

Choosing salt-hardy plants and blocking the passage of salt-laden wind are the best strategies. The

plant lists below will help you to select appropriate plant species.

Creating Wind Breaks

Coastal winds damage plants in several ways:

• causing physical damage to limbs, especially in storms

• causing stunting (shortened limbs and small leaves), as a result of long-term exposure

• carrying salt deposits that accumulate on foliage

• carrying sand that abrades leaf tissues, resulting in leaf drop and shoot dieback (often called wind

pruning)

• carrying salt deposits that accumulate in the soil

A barrier that prevents or slows down the prevailing wind, therefore, is paramount in a coastal garden.

A good windbreak greatly enhances the variety of plants that can be grown in the garden.

Solid fences and walls are useful because they can be erected quickly. These include brick walls and

timber or brush fences. A drawback is that they can create turbulence as the wind is forced up and over

the fence. A permeable fence (i.e. a fence that wind can move through) is a better choice as it will filter

the wind and reduce its speed. Shade cloth, lattice and hessian (as a temporary measure) are good

choices.

Growing hardy salt tolerant plants as frontline protection against wind is the best long-term windbreak.

A mixture of shrubs and trees that filter the wind is better than using a solid line of one species. Plants

also have the advantage that they bind the soil, reducing soil erosion. Some of the hardiest plants to

use are those that are indigenous to the area (they are native to the area and are accustomed to the

local conditions).

Other Strategies for Growing Coastal Plants

• Tree guards

Plastic tree guards or shade cloth supported by stakes will help protect newly planted trees and shrubs.

• Growing in containers

Salt sensitive plants can be grown in pots. Use a good quality potting mix and preferably place the pot

in a sheltered spot, away from salt laden winds.

• Conserving moisture

Even if your garden receives regular amounts of rain, the plants can still suffer from water shortage.

Sandy soils are very free draining, so adding organic materials and using surface mulches is important.

Seaweed is the most obvious choice for a mulching material – it’s free and is usually plentiful, but it

needs to have any surface salt washed off before you use it. Many soils consisting of high levels of fine

sand commonly are water repelling, particularly when they have been allowed to dry out. Water from

irrigation or rain will sit on the surface in puddles, or run away down slope without much infiltrating into

the soil. They are said to be hydrophobic. This problem can be overcome by the addition of wetting

agents (ask at a nursery to see such products)

• Installation of a drip irrigation system will also help plants establish and grow.

• Fertilisers

Coastal soils are generally impoverished and have limited capacity to retain applied nutrients. Organic

materials are useful; also apply slow release fertilisers (eg. blood and bone or Osmocote) to promote

growth.

Hardy Seaside Plants

Trees

Acacia longifolia var. sophorae (Coast Wattle)

Agonis flexuosa (Willow Myrtle)

Allocasuarina littoralis, A. torulosa, A. verticillata (Drooping She Oak)

Araucaria bidwilli (Bunya Bunya Pine), A. cunninghamii (Hoop Pine), A. heterophylla (Norfolk Island

Pine)

Arbutus unedo (Irish Strawberry Tree)

Banksia integrifolia (Coastal Banksia), B. serrata

Callistemon viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)

Callitris columellaris (Coast Cypress Pine)

Casuarina cunninghamiana, C. equisetifolia subsp. Incana

Cocos nucifera (Coconut Palm)

Cupressus macrocarpa (Monterey Cypress)

Eucalyptus ficifolia (Red Flowering Gum), E. botryoides, E. calophylla ‘Rosea’ (Pink-flowered Marri), E.

lehmannii (Bushy Yates)

Melaleuca armillaris, M. elliptica, M. nesophila, M. squarrosa Metrosideros excelsa (NZ Christmas Tree)

Olea europea (Olive)

Phoenix canariensis (Date Palm)

Pinus nigra maritima (Corsican Pine)

Tamarix parvifolia (Tamarisk)

Tristania laurina

Shrubs

Acacia saligna

Agave attenuata

Banksia ericifolia (Heath Banksia)

Banksia marginata

Brachysema lanceolata (Swan River Pea)

Callistemon citrinus, C. rigidus

Coprosma repens (Mirror Plant)

Cordyline australis

Correa alba, C. reflexa

Dodonea viscosa (Hop Bush)

Echium candicans (Pride of Madeira)

Escallonia macrantha

Feijoa (Pineapple guava)

Hakea laurina (Pincushion Hakea), H. sauveolens

Hebe cultivars

Kunzea ambigua

Leptospermum laevigatum (Coast Tea Tree)

Leptospermum petersonii (Lemon-scented Tea Tree)

Leucophyta brownii (Cusion Bush)

Melaleuca fulgens, M. hypericifolia, M. laterita

Murraya exotica (Mock Orange)

Myoporum insulare (Boobialla)

Nerium oleander (Oleander)

Olearia sp. (Daisy Bush)

Polygala sp.

Raphiolepis species and cultivars (Indian Hawthorn)

Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)

Vitex spp.

Westringia fruticosa (Coastal Rosemary)

Groundcovers/Small Shrubs

Alyssum maritimum (Sweet Alice)

Arctotis (Aurora Daisy)

Carprobrotus glaucescens (Pig Face)

Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in Summer)

Hemerocallis (Day Lily)

Hibiscus scandens (Snake Vine)

Gazania (Gazania)

Lantana montevidensis (Lantana)

Mesembryanthemum sp. (Pigface)

Myoporum acuminatum (Boobialla)

Osteospermum cultivars (African Daisy)

Pelargonium australe

Sedum spp.

Scaevola aemula

Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ears)

Climbers

Bougainvillea

Ficus pumila (Climbing Fig)

Hedera helix (Ivy)

Hibbertia scandens (Guinea Gold Vine)

Petrea volubilis (Purple wreath)

Pyrostegia venusta (Orange Trumpet Vine)

Solandra guttata (Cup of Gold)

Tecomanthe hillii

HARDY PLANTS FOR INNER CITY GARDENS

Like humans, plants face a whole range of additional stresses when trying to survive in a city environment,

than they would in non-city areas.

What makes plant growing difficult in inner city areas:

• A city generates huge amounts of heat. This can effect the local environment considerably. In particular

in summer months plants may suffer heat stress.

• Pollution of air, water and soil as a result of industrial processes, domestic wastes, automobile use, etc.

can seriously damage or even kill plants (e.g. acid rain, leaking natural gas lines).

• Space restrictions often limit the types of plants you can grow, for example overhead power lines create

height restrictions and footpaths limit nature strip plantings.

• Large areas of hard covered surfaces, such as roads, footpaths, buildings, etc. reduce the amount of

area available for rainwater to penetrate into the soil thereby affecting soil moisture levels.

• The construction of buildings will often seriously reduce the amount of light that plants receive.

• Air conditioning will often produce unsuitable conditions for plant growth, for example fumes from gas

heaters or very dry, hot air.

• Physical damage due to machinery, vandals, animals, etc. is generally much higher in city areas

compared with elsewhere.

Resistant Plants for Urban Areas

Trees

Acacia floribunda Acacia longifolia Acacia pycnantha

Acer pseudoplatanus Allocasuarina (many varieties) Crataegus

Eucalyptus ficifolia Eucalyptus globulus compacta Eucalyptus ovata

Eucalyptus torquata Ficus macrophylla Fraxinus

Gleditsia Liquidambar Melaleuca stypheloides

Platanus Populus Prunus

Pyrus Quercus Robinia

Salix

Shrubs

Berberis Buddleia davidii Buxus sempervirens

Casuarina distyla Chaenomeles japonica Cotoneaster

Cytisus Eleagnus Escallonia

Euonymus Genista Hakea suaveolens

Hibiscus syriacus Hydrangea Hypericum

Leptospermum scoparium Ligustrum Lonicera nitida

Melaleuca armillaris Melaleuca decussata Nerium oleander

Pyracantha sp. Spiraea Tamarix

Viburnum Weigelia

Indoor Plants for Air Conditioned Buildings

(adapted to out of balance gases in the air)

Bromeliads Cacti Chlorophytum elatum

Cocos Palm Dracaena godseffiana Ficus elastica

Phoenix roebelinii

(better than Cocos)

Succulents Zebrina