• Should Australian Plants Be Pruned?
• All Australian Plants are Drought Resistant, Aren't They?
• Why do some Australian plants die? Shouldn't they be suited to Australian conditions?
• OK....So are plants which are native to my area the best ones to grow in my garden?
• Why do Australian plant enthusiasts always use botanical names?
• What's the difference between "hybrids" and "cultivars"?

Should Australian plants be pruned?

Some Australian plants tolerate pruning and some don't but that's true for plants from anywhere in the world. As a general rule all shrubby plants will tolerate light pruning to develop a bushy shape as they are growing. Pruning of mature plants can, however, present problems.

There are plants which can be pruned back to ground level and which will regenerate quickly by sending out masses of new growth...this is a technique sometimes referred to as "chain saw therapy". Plants in this category include those which develop a lignotuber (a swelling at or below ground level from which new growth forms) such as many banksias, eucalypts, melaleucas and isopogons, to name just four. Others, including most callistemons and the popular Grevillea hybrids G."Robyn Gordon", G."Honey Gem" and G."Superb" also tolerate such treatment.

If in doubt, pruning back by about one third should not cause problems as long as there is plenty of green foliage remaining. Annual pruning directly after flowering is a sound rule to follow.

Many callistemons and melaleucas respond to heavy pruning. This Callistemon "Captain Cook" shows vigorous regrowth after being cut back to near ground level.

Callistemons (bottlebrushes) should generally be pruned after flowering with the exception of C.viminalis and its cultivars which have a weeping habit that can be damaged by pruning.

....usually only those native to dry areas and only when they have successfully negotiated the initial 12 months after planting out!

It's often claimed that Australian native plants have a lower requirement for artificial watering than plants from other countries. While this is possibly correct as a general statement, it's only true because the majority of Australian plants that are readily available are those native to the drier forests and woodlands.

Australian native rainforest plants are becoming more readily available and it would be unreasonable to expect these to be drought resistant. Surprisingly, though, many of these will tolerate extended dry periods but they undoubtedly perform better when adequate water is available.

It depends on what you define as "Australian conditions".

What constitutes "typical" Australian conditions?

The problem was more common some years ago when the cultivation of Australian plants native to all parts of the country was attempted in all other parts. This failed to recognise the fact that there are many climatic zones in Australia and that attempting to grow plants from one climatic zone in another was bound to lead to problems. While it was accepted that alpine plants would be difficult to cultivate in (say) arid areas, the effect of less obvious climatic differences was recognised mainly by bitter experience.

We now accept , for example, that plants native to areas of dry summers (such as south Western Australia) may be difficult to grow in gardens in areas of wet, humid summer conditions (such as the east coastal strip of New South Wales and Queensland). Having said that, there are many plants that adapt well to climates that are different to those of their natural habitat.

OK... So are plants which are native to my area the best ones to grow in my garden?

As a general rule "local" or "indigenous" plants are likely to be more reliable in gardens because they are adapted to the local climate. Unfortunately other factors are involved, not least of which is the fact that garden conditions (soil, degree of disturbance, fertilizer use, watering) are not likely to be the same as in the natural environment.

This doesn't mean that the old myth that "Australian native plants can't be grown in gardens" is true; it just means that to grow particular plants, it might be necessary to investigate the required growing conditions and make adjustments to the ways in which the garden is maintained. This is where a local District Group of the Society might be of assistance.

It's also worth considering "how 'local' is 'local'?" because a single species may have a wide natural distribution. Plants grown from seed collected in one location may not produce a hardy plant for another district even though the particular species may grow naturally in both areas and may therefore be considered 'local' in both districts. This is why planting local clones of a species is important.

Another point in favour of growing local species is that they may help attract the local wildlife (eg. birds and butterflies) into the garden.

We don't "always" use botanical names but, you're almost right. The problem is that the majority of Australian plants just don't have accepted common names and, in many cases, common names that do exist can apply to two or more totally different plants.

For example, "Native Fuchsia" can apply to either Epacris longiflora or Correa reflexa, depending on whether you live in New South Wales or Victoria... and the two plants aren't even closely related (except that they're both plants!). To confuse the issue even further, Eremophila maculata is sometimes called "Native Fuchsia" also!

So botanical names are used to minimize confusion and, while there are a few "tongue-twisters", most aren't that difficult. Is it that much harder to pronounce "Melaleuca" than "Honey Myrtle"??

Well, as far as ornamental plants are concerned, a hybrid is usually a cultivar; but a cultivar doesn't have to be a hybrid! Clear?...

OK, the word "cultivar" is short for "cultivated variety" and a cultivar is a selected form of a plant that has some desirable characteristic for cultivation. It is often given an attractive name by an enterprising horticulturist with the hope of commercial success. The desirable characteristic might be flower colour, growth habit, foliage characteristic, disease resistance or anything else. The cultivar may be an unusual form of a pure species that was discovered in the wild, a form that arose in a batch of seedlings in a nursery or a hybrid...so a cultivar doesn't have to be a hybrid.

A hybrid is a genetic "cross" between two different species (usually within the same genus) or between a species and other hybrids. Hybrids can occur naturally or they can be produced by human intervention. The aim of deliberate hybridization is to produce plants with desirable characteristics. If the hybridization gives successful results, the plant is usually given a cultivar name and released commercially....so, a successful hybrid is also a cultivar.

As examples, Grevillea banksii is a pure species, Grevillea banksii "Ruby Red" is a cultivar selected for its prostrate habit and Grevillea "Robyn Gordon" is a hybrid cultivar between G.bipinnatifida and G.banksii.