Waterwise Plants

Botanical name: Alpinia caerulea

Common name: Atherton ginger, Red Back Australian Ginger

Description: A flowering, moisture-loving perennial 2m high, 1m wide, suited to containers and round.

Soil/habitat: Moisture-loving perennial

Cultural use: A flavoursome and practical edible root, an excellent native substitute for ordinary ginger, usable in sweet and savoury dishes and to make ginger tea. Edible bright blue berries with a pleasant ginger citrus flavour. Seeds can be toxic. Other uses include thatch shelters, handicrafts and food wrappings for cooking.

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: Beaufortia squarrosa

Common name: Sand Bottlebrush

Noongar name: Buno

Description: Shrub, 0.5-2m high, fruit 4-6mm long. Flowers are red-orange-yellow from Jan to May or Aug to Dec.

Soil/habitat: White, grey or yellow sand, sometimes over limestone, laterite. Sandplains, associated with winter-wet depressions.

Cultural uses: Flowers were a good source of nectar and were either sucked directly or the flowers were soaked in water to make a sweet drink.

Botanical name: Calytrix acutifolia

Common name: Starflowers

Description: Slender, open-branched shrub, to 2m high. Flowers are white/cream/yellow from April to December.

Soil/habitat: White to yellow sand, brown sandy clay, gravelly grey-brown loam, red loam, granite, laterite. Consolidated dunes, slopes, swampy ground, rock outcrops, breakaways.

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: 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: 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: Thryptomene saxicola

Common name: Thryptomene

Description: Compact, low growing shrub, 0.75 – 1.5m. Flowers are pink from May-Oct. Attracts bees, buttlerflies, other insects.

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

Botanical name: Xanthorrhoea brunonis

Common name: Grass Tree

Description: A low growing perennial grass tree, up to 1.5m high, trunk none or up to 0.1m, scape length 0.35-1.5m, spike length 0.1-0.3m. Flowers are white-cream from Oct to Dec.

Soil/habitat: Sand, sandy clay, laterite.

Botanical Name: Apium annuum

Common name: Sea Celery

Description: This drought tolerant, frost tolerant plant loves the sun, grows between 30cm and 50cm high, up to 50cm wide.

Soil/habitat: Choose a soil or potting mix that drains easily and water well throughout the year.

Cultural uses: A flavoursome herb or vegetable, substitute for celery, adds salty notes to any dish as a garnish, finely chopped or in sprigs to flavour soups, salads and chicken and seafood dishes. Stems may be enjoyed fresh, or blanched to temper the strong flavours.

Botanical name: Atriplex nummularia

Common name: Old Man Saltbush

Noongar name: Purngep, Pining or Binga

Description:  A woody shrub up to 3m high, grown in the ground or pots.

Soil/habitat: Tolerates drought, salinity and sandy soil in the wild, a rich and loamy, but free-draining soil.

Cultural use: Commonly used as a livestock grazing plant. The seeds and leaves are viable bush tucker, with the leaves salty in flavour and rich in protein, antioxidants and minerals. Enjoy leaves blanched, sautéed, wrapped around meat or fish, used in salads, or for stuffing poultry or dried as a herb or sprinkle.

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: 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: 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: Bulbine bulbosa

Common name: Native Leek, Bulbine Lily or Wild Onion

Noongar name:  Pike (Woiwurrung), Parm, Puewan

Description: A small plant, reaching a 40cm height and 30cm width, grass-like appearance and bright yellow star-shaped flowers from September to March.

Soil/habitat: A loamy soil that holds plenty of water, in full sun or dappled shade.

Cultural use:  Has edible seeds used similar to fennel seeds, roots and below-ground corms that are a tasty bushfood and contains calcium and iron and was likely roasted before eating. The corm’s protruding roots are also edible, with a mild oniony flavour.

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: Olearia axillaris

Common name: Sea Rosemary, Wild Rosemary

Description: A bushy foliage bushfood plant with attractive silvery foliage, reaches 2m high. Cream-coloured flowers from Summer to late Autumn.

Soil/habitat: Prefers full sun and a light to medium well-drained soil. Salt tolerant and well-suited to coastal areas, as it’s resilient to strong winds and sandy soils with few nutrients. Does not tolerate extremely cold or wet conditions.

Cultural uses:Fragrant edible foliage with insect repelling properties. Can be used fresh and dried in a variety of savory and sweet dishes.

Botanical name:  Platysace deflexa

Common name: Ravensthorpe radish, Youlk

Description: Reaches 0.4m in height with a 1m diameter spread.

Soil/habitat: Thrives in dry conditions in nutrient-poor, sandy soils or part shade, in loamy soil. Water generously during Summer.

Cultural use:One of many edible bushfood roots in traditional cuisine, it holds special significance in Aboriginal culture as a marker of Indigenous identity, spirituality and connection to the land. Crisp apple-like texture, golden potato colour and hints of carrot and sweet eucalypt flavour, it makes a tasty ingredient for salads, stews, pies, gratin, cakes and other dishes.

Botanical name: Atriplex nummularia

Common name: Old Man Saltbush

Noongar name: Purngep, Pining or Binga

Description:  A woody shrub up to 3m high, grown in the ground or pots.

Soil/habitat: Tolerates drought, salinity and sandy soil in the wild, a rich and loamy, but free-draining soil.

Cultural use: Commonly used today as a livestock grazing plant. The seeds and leaves are viable bush tucker, with the leaves salty in flavour and rich in protein, antioxidants and minerals. Enjoy leaves blanched, sautéed, wrapped around meat or fish, used in salads, or for stuffing poultry or dried as a herb or sprinkle.

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: 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: Mentha diemenica

Common name: Slender Mint, Wild Mint

Description: A suckering plant that grows about 10cm high and with a seemingly endless spread if permitted to run wild.

Soil/habitat: Loves damp conditions and part-shade.

Cultural use:Use in salads, sandwiches, deserts, cocktails, water infusions and salt infusions. Leaves may be used fresh, or chopped and dried for later use.

Botanical name: Myoporum insulare

Common name: Coastal Boobialla, Native Juniper

Noongar name: Boobiala

Description: Dense, low spreading or erect shrub or tree (occasionally), 0.25m-5m high. Flowers are white from Jul to Dec or Jan to Feb.

Soil/habitat: White/grey sand. Coastal dunes and limestone.

Cultural use: Fruits are edible when ripe (bitter and salty).

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: 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.