10 Australian Native Plants

Our top 10 Australian Native Plants

As a landscape architect specializing in high-end residential garden design, I often incorporate Australian native plants into my projects. Here are five plants that are popular choices in plant design:

Banksia integrifolia

Also known as the Coastal Banksia, is a beautiful evergreen tree that's commonly used as a feature tree in coastal garden design. With large, serrated leaves and stunning conical flower spikes ranging in color from pale yellow to deep orange, this tree provides both shade and visual interest.

‍Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon'

A striking shrub with vibrant red flowers that bloom almost year-round. This plant is often used in rock gardens or as a hedging plant, providing a beautiful pop of color against its narrow, dark green leaves.

Callistemon viminalis‍

Weeping Bottlebrush, is a small to medium-sized tree that's often used in street plantings or as a feature tree. With pendulous branches and bright red flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer, this tree is a standout in any garden.

Acacia cognata 'Limelight'

A versatile shrub with bright green, weeping foliage that forms a dense canopy. This plant is a popular choice in contemporary garden design and is often used as a low border plant or as part of a mass planting.

Lomandra longifolia

A tough, grass-like plant that's ideal for groundcover or mass plantings. With long, narrow leaves growing up to a metre in length and small yellow flower spikes in spring and summer, this plant is a low-maintenance choice that's particularly well-suited to coastal gardens.

Westringia fruticosa

This hardy shrub, also known as Coastal Rosemary, is a popular choice for hedging and borders in Australian gardens. It has grey-green foliage and produces small, white to mauve flowers in spring and summer. Westringia fruticosa is low maintenance and drought-tolerant, making it a great choice for coastal gardens.

Melaleuca linariifolia‍

This attractive, medium-sized tree has narrow, linear leaves and produces delicate, white bottlebrush-like flowers in spring and summer. Melaleuca linariifolia is a popular choice for street plantings, as well as for larger gardens and parks.

Dianella caerulea‍

This versatile plant, also known as Blue Flax Lily, has strap-like leaves and produces small, blue flowers in spring and summer, followed by bright blue berries. Dianella caerulea is often used as a groundcover or as an accent plant, and it's particularly well-suited to coastal gardens.

Anigozanthos flavidus‍

Also known as Kangaroo Paw, this iconic plant produces unique, tubular flowers that resemble the paws of kangaroos. It's a popular choice for Australian gardens and can be used in a variety of ways, from mass plantings to container gardens.

Leptospermum scoparium‍

This small to medium-sized tree, commonly known as Manuka or Tea Tree, is prized for its attractive, fluffy white or pink flowers, which bloom in spring and summer. Leptospermum scoparium is often used as a feature tree or as a screening plant, and it's particularly well-suited to coastal gardens due to its tolerance for salt spray and wind.

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