Flora
Grasses quiz
Can you identify these common weedy grasses that were presented at Tilligerry Landcare workshop recently? Once you’ve had your guess, scroll down for the answers! v v v v v v v v v v v Answers: Red Natal from Africa Whiskey Grass from the USA Erharta from... read more
Plant of the Month: Johnson’s Grevillea (Grevillea johnsonii).
Apart from my Landcare work I get a few other projects in from time to time, at the end of last week I was out in the Goulburn River National Park trying to track down a lost population of Fairy Bells (Homoranthus darwinioides)*, we didn’t manage to find that... read more
Tools, Tricks and Tips: Nursery Cheats
Ok, I have a confession, despite enjoying working in nurseries I really hate pricking out and potting up seedlings. Yeah, I know, it is the main point of working in a nursery, but it is just so tedious and time consuming so if I can find any way of doing it quicker I... read more
Plant of the Month: Magenta Lilly Pilly
(Syzygium paniculatum). Katuba (Kattang), Daguba (Cadigal). March is a great time for fans of bushfood, Kurrajongs, Sandpaper Fig and the Magenta Lilly Pilly all ripening. This year was a good season for the Lilly Pilly here in the Upper Hunter and while I didn’t get... read more
Good plant: Bad plant
I had a question the other day about how to tell the difference between an African Olive (Olea europea ssp cuspidata) and Mock Olive (Notelaea microcarpa), having spent quite a bit of time killing the former and trying not to kill the latter I work with the following... read more
Plant of the Month: Greenhood Orchid (Pterostylis nutans)
During winter and spring, these low green orchids, endemic to Eastern Australia, emerge from the ground in great numbers in moist, protected forest environments. The flowers “nod” or lean forwards strongly and occur singly on a stem arising from a rosette... read more
Tubestock Planting Demo
In this video, we discuss the tips and tricks for planting tubestock and seeing them survive and... read more
When To Apply Herbicides
Time the application of herbicides to achieve maximum effectiveness. The right time to apply systemic poisons is when water and sugars are being rapidly moved (translocated) around the plant (usually spring and summer). Herbicides are likely to be less effective on... read more
Plant of the Month: Forest Red Gum
Plant of the Month: Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) Munumba (Worimi) Buringoa (D’harawal) A magnificent tall tree to 50 metres, the Forest Red Gum is found along the east coast of Australia from Gippsland in Victoria to Papua New Guinea. In the Hunter... read more
Blue grass vs Red Grass ID
Plant Recognition Notes: Blue Grass-Red Grass Blue Grasses (Dichanthium sericium, Dichanthium setosum): Clumping Grass to 1m, common in the Mid and Upper Hunter, often bluish, “hairy “skirt” on the nodes, spikelets come out from a central position (digitate).... read more
Plants of the Box Gum Grassy Woodlands
This vegetation community is listed as an Ecologically Endangered Community because of the flora and fauna this community supports, including the species of White Box, Yellow Box, and Blakely’s Gum.
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Birds of the Box Gum Grassy Woodlands
Box Gum Grassy Woodlands are a feature of Eastern Australian landscapes. Look at and listen to birds from this environment.
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Emerging Weed: Groundsel Bush
Groundsel bush is reputed to be poisonous to livestock although it seldom causes a problem because they rarely eat enough. However, livestock will lose condition rapidly if forced to graze it.
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Reflection: Weeds Conference
Weeds continue to be a big problem for NSW- What are the strategies, research and new products being developed? Are we effectively putting the ‘We’ in weeds across tenure?
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A Plant Nerd Answers: Processionary Caterpillar
The caterpillars nest in, on, or at the base of various trees leaving them to bury themselves in the ground and pupate.
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A Plant Nerd Answers: How to ID a Gum Tree
One of the first things we look at when identifying a Eucalypt (or close relative Angophora or Corymbia) is the bark, is it smooth? Rough, Stringy, Hard? Soft?
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Tubestock Planting Guide
This planting guide is drawn from internet sources and personal experience in Landcare.
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Gumnuts of the Upper Hunter
Bark types and gumnuts (or “fruit”) are a handy way of determining which group a Eucalypt belongs to.
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Eucalypt Bark Types
Just as their fruits (gumnuts) can help us figure out which Eucalypt is which so can their bark, these are some commonly seen in the Upper Hunter.
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Goodness, Gracious Great Balls of… umm… Seed.
Seed balls are a fairly simple way of getting seed into an area to germinate after a good rain event.
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