Garden Bed 3

Botanical name: Allocasuarina humilis

Common name: Dwarf Sheoak

Description:  Dioecious or monoecious, erect or spreading shrub, 0.2-2m high. Flowers are red/orange-brown from May to Nov.

Soil/habitat: Sand, often over laterite, sandy clay, gravel. Sandplains, sand dunes.

Botanical name: Alyxia buxifolia

Common name: Dysentry bush

Description: Erect to spreading shrub, 1.5m high. Flowers are white from October to November.

Soil/habitat: Coastal dunes and limestone.

Botanical name: Anigozanthos flavidus

Common name: Tall Kangaroo Paw, Evergreen Kangaroo Paw

Description: Rhizomatous, perennial, herb, 0.5-3m high. Flowers are yellow-green/brown-red from Nov to Dec or Jan.

Soil/habitat: Grey or yellow sand, clay, gravel. Drainage lines, fringing wetlands, roadside gutters.

Cultural use: The roots were eaten either raw or roasted in hot ashes. Sometimes roots were ground into a paste which was then formed into cakes and baked in hot ashes.

Botanical name: Anigozanthos manglesii

Common name: Mangles Kangaroo Paw, Red and Green Kangaroo Paw

Noongar name: Kurulbrang, Nollamara, Yonga Marra, Knulbora

Description: Rhizomatous, perennial, herb, 0.2-1.1m high. Flowers are green & red from Aug to Nov.

Soil/habitat: White, yellow or grey sand, sandy loam.

Cultural use: The roots were eaten either raw or roasted in hot ashes. Sometimes roots were ground into a paste which was then formed into cakes and baked in hot ashes.

Botanical name: Anigozanthos viridis

Common name: Green Kangaroo Paw, Swamp Kangaroo Paw

Noongar name: Koroylbardany, Koroylbardang

Description: Rhizomatous, perennial, herb, 0.05-0.85m high. Flowers are green/yellow-green from Aug to Oct.

Soil/habitat: Sand, loam, clay. Winter-wet areas.

Cultural use: The roots were eaten either raw or roasted in hot ashes. Sometimes roots were ground into a paste which was then formed into cakes and baked in hot ashes.

Botanical name: Banksia sessilis

Common name: Parrot Bush

Noongar name: Pulgart, Budjan, Pudjak

Description: Prickly shrub or tree, 0.5-5m high. Flowers are cream-yellow, from Apr to Nov.

Soil/habitat: White, grey or yellow sand, limestone laterite, granite.

Cultural use: Flowers were a good source of nectar and were either sucked directly or soaked in water to make a sweet drink, often left to ferment to become an alcoholic drink. It was also used medicinally as a cough mixture and to soothe a sore throat. The cones were used as torches to carry fire between campsites.

Botanical name: Baumea preissli

Common name:  Broad Twig Sedge

Description: Large rhizomatous perennial sedge, 1.5m high. Flowers are brown from September to October.

Soil/habitat: Watercourses, lakes and swamps.

Botanical name: Calothamnus lateralis

Common name: Common Net Bush or One-sided Bottlebrush

Description: Erect shrub 0.4 to 1.5m high. Flowers are red from August to December. 

Soil/habitat: Swamps and winter wet depressions.

Botanical name: Calothamnus quadrifidus

Common name: One-sided Bottlebrush

Noongar name: Kwowdjard, Quietjat

Description: Erect, compact or spreading shrub, 0.9-2m high. Flowers are red/white-yellow from Jun to Dec.

Soil/habitat: Wide variety of soils & habitats.

Cultural use: Flowers were a good source of nectar and were either sucked directly or soaked in water to make a sweet drink, often left to ferment to become an alcoholic drink.

Botanical name: Centella asiatica

Common name:  Gotu Kola, Kodavan, Indian pennywort and Asiatic pennywort

Description: Creeping, stoloniferous perennial, herb, 0.05-0.4m high. Flowers are Pink/purple-red/white from Aug to Dec or Jan to Apr.

Soil/habitat: Often in winter-wet depressions.

Cultural uses: Leaves are edible either raw or steamed. Treats minor wounds and other conditions such as leprosy, lupus, varicose ulcers, eczema, psoriasis, diarrhoea, fever, amenorrhea, diseases of the female genito-urinary tract, relieves anxiety and improves cognition.

Botanical name: Darwinia citriodora prostrate seaspray

Common name: Darwinia

Description: Low mounding groundcover, 0.5-1m high, spreads up to 1m. Flowers are vivid orange-red, attracts honeyeaters, butterflies and bees.

Soil/habitat: Sandy, loamy well-drained soils.

Botanical name: Ficinia nodosa

Common name: Knobby Club-rush

Noongar name: Yangjet

Description: Erect, perennial herb (sedge), to 1m high. Flowers are brown/cream from Oct to Dec or Jan.

Soil/habitat: White sand, dark sandy clay, granite, limestone. Coastal dunes, flats, seasonally-wet swamplands, shores of salt lakes.

Cultural use: Roots are edible and were probably roasted in hot ashes before being eaten. Stalks were sometimes used to weave nets for catching fish and turtles.

Botanical name: Kennedia prostrata

Common name: Running Postman

Noongar name: Wollung, Pulbarn, Kuralo, Wollong

Description: Prostrate or twining shrub.

Soil/habitat: Usually sandy gravelly soils.

Cultural use: The flowers provide a source of sweet nectar that can be sucked straight from the flower. Leaves are used to make a tea-like drink, which has a pleasant liquorice flavour. Nectar was used to soothe sore throats.

Botanical name: Lepidosperma gladiatum

Common name: Sword sedge

Description: Rhizomatous, tufted robust perennial, grass-like or herb (sedge), 0.5-3m high, clumps to 1.5m wide. Flowers are brown from Nov to Dec or Jan to May.

Soil/habitat: White, grey or calcareous sand, limestone, loam. Dunes, creeklines.

Botanical name: Myoporum oppositifolium

Common name: Twin-leaf Myoporum

Description: Erect slender or sprawling shrub, 0.4-1.5m high. Flowers are white/white-purple from Aug to Dec or Jan or Mar to Apr.

Soil/habitat: Sandy soils, loam. Coastal areas, along creeks and rivers.

Botanical name: Pimelea ferruginea 'magenta'

Common name: Rice Flower

Description: Small shrub with small dark green glossy leaves, 1-1.2m, spreads up to 1m. Flowers are magenta pink tubular from Aug to Oct. Attracts bees, butterflies, insects.

Soil/habitat: Well drained, loamy, sandy loam, potting mix. Drought resistant.

Botanical name: Podocarpus drouynianus

Common name: Emu Plum

Noongar name: Koolah, Quondan

Description: Tree or shrub, 0.75-3m high. Flowers from Aug to Dec or Jan to Apr.

Soil/habitat: White or grey sand, sandy loam or gravelly loam. Lower slopes or lowlands, near creeks.

Cultural use: Fruit is a nutritious dietary supplement.

Botanical name: Regelia inops

Common name: Regelia inops

Description: Erect, often spreading shrub, 0.75-2.5m high. Flowers pink-purple-blue in Jan or Mar or Jun or Oct to Dec.

Soil/habitat: Sandy soils. Winter-wet depressions, sandplains.

Botanical name: Templetonia retusa

Common name: Cockie's Tongue, Coral Bush

Noongar name: Yackal Djarr, Injid

Description: Much branched shrub, 0.3-4 m high.

Soil/habitat: White sand, red clay, brown and white gravel, limestone.

Cultural use: Flowers are edible. Tea can be made from the crushed seeds. Seeds best collected when the seed pods are young.