Help Needed Identifying Plants (images provided)

Hi all,

I'm new to gardening, having acquired a home recently which has what I believe is large number of Australian Native trees and plants.

I have taken photos of quite a few of these plants, and for ease of reference they're all available to view at the following website link:
http://www.maximumattack.biz/photogallery/2008_01_02-Plantimages/

I've uploaded these photos to my businesses' website, so please just disregard the links in my gallery template.

I'd be grateful if people are able to tell me the names of these plants (matching to image ref no.s) so that I can try and learn more about each one and how to care for them.

Unfortunately in the extreme temperatures we're experiencing, a lot of these plants look like they're suffering so I need to make sure I water them enough, and equally the same not over-water them.

I've included a couple of photos showing some damaged plants, and I'm wondering if they look like heat related problems or something else.

As a gardening newbie - any and all help would be very much appreciated!!

Kind regards,
Rachel

Hi Rachel,
You have about 50/50 introduced and native plants there.I can manage some of them:
8720 and 27 look like Callistemon viminalis. Drought hardy despite its natural creekbed environment. You can't over-water this one. Likes acid soil. What do you have? Lots of compost and organic mulch helps acidify the soil (also tealeaves and coffee grounds)
8722 Melaleuca of some kind. I suggest you wait for a flower and take it, with leaves, into a local nursery, as they may have sold it in the first place. This would probably work with a lot of your plants, as they look like commonly sold varieties. Once you have a name you can easily get info on the plant from the internet.
25 another Callistemon. Ditto
33 looks like Acacia baileyana. Expect wonderful flowers next winter.
41, 66, 73.Introduced cypresses. They are prone to fungal infections. I believe they can be cured, but my response would be to get rid of them and plant something that's more fun in their places. To me, of course, this means a native. I am aware, however, that there are people who love them despite their high fire risk potential, and you may well be one of them. I always think that applying chemicals to plants to cure them of their ills is like throwing money into the sea, (besides being against my environmental principals - these chemicals are just poisons, after all) but once again, I know there are people who think it's worth it.
44, 79 Introduced philodendron. The problem looks like sunburn. Has something been cleared away to let the sun get through? I believe these plants can be water guzzlers.
54 and 46 look like Agonis flexuosa. Wait for the flowers, which will tell you for sure. Lovely things.
56 Melaleuca. Perhaps bracteata. Perhaps Golden Gem.
59 Chamelauceum. (Geraldton Wax) Great value and a healthy plant. Plant lots of them, as they obviously grow well on your place.
68 Callistemon of some kind. Is it Little John? I think you have a few of these.
69 Buddleia. Non-native. Attracts butterflies. Needs hard pruning to keep it looking good. Some people classify these plants as weeds.
70 Is that Japanese Honeysuckle? (Lonerica species)Lovely plant, but escapes into the bush here (Toowoomba and Eastern Australia generally) so is regarded as a rather bad environmental weed.
86, 88. Fern, probably Microsoris species. I don't know whether that's one of the native ones. Try a nursery.
11 Bougainvillea. Introduced.
13 Pandorea jasminoides. Bower vine. Probably the best Australian native climber. It comes in a white and stronger pinks as well.
97 Asparagus "fern". Really, really horrible introduced weed. Get rid of it as fast as you can and remove all the seedlings as they pop up.
New gardens are such fun, as you can be the "new broom", sweeping away that which you don't want, and turning them into something that suits your own personality. I'd suggest using more natives, especially your local natives, as they have evolved in your very own climate so would be able to cope with anything the climate can throw at them. A good nursery (as opposed to the cheap chains which will sell you anything, suitable or not) can be a great ally. So can your nearest branch of the Society for Growing Australian Plants.
Good luck with it all.
Trish

RE: Help Needed Identifying Plants (images provided)

RE: Help Needed Identifying Plants (images provided)

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