New Weed Alert

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This is a native from Nth QLD, which, like the Umbrella Tree is colonising our region rapidly and is now considered to be a potential weed. It’s called Pittosporum ferrugineum or more commonly Rusty Pittosporum, and could easily be mistaken for some of the other non-invasive native pittosporums that grow here.

David Mansefield, a Park Ranger from Queensland Parks and Wildlife alerted us to it growing in the Marcus Section of Noosa National Park. He removed a number of them, as well as a huge number the more familiar northern invader, the Umbrella Tree.

David dealt with mature exotic pine that we discovered while doing a sweep of the Park in September. (We cleared the mass of baby pines, umbrellas and peppers surrounding it back then but left the big one for the “pros”.)

Col, Graham and I we cleared the isolated outbreak of Singapore Daisy, probably spread by someone dumping garden waste, and some other weeds on the Park edge along Redwood Avenue.

Please spread the word amongst your friends to dispose of weeds and garden plants such as mother-in-laws tongue responsibly. These plants can really decimate the native vegetation. It takes hundreds of hours to restore some badly degraded sites where runaway garden escapees rampage. Prevention is so much better than cure.

For more botanical information click on link below:

Pittosporum ferrugineum

“Planting” signs at Marcus

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Peregian Creek IDWThis month we have another special project. We will meet at the carpark, (BA 47), Tristania Drive at 8.00am, Saturday July 9 to “plant” the interpretive signs that Paul and Graham designed and made. So all those with practical skills such as concrete mixing and post hole digging will be much appreciated. If enough people come, we may even get some weeding done.Peregian Creek IDW

The signs at Peregian Creek were a real winner when the MBBA hosted an end of term program for sixty children from the Good Shepherd College along the boardwalk.IMG_7446

Palm Lily, Cordyline, (Cordyline petiolaris)

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Cordyline petiolaris is a palm-like, narrow upright understory rainforest plant that grows to 5 m. although in this beach side location it will generally be much smaller. The leaves are 85 cm long by 15 cm wide, and small white to lilac flowers appear in winter to spring, followed by attractive red berry clusters in summer. It can be multi-trunked.

This is a hardy plant, easy to grow provided it has shade and moist soil. Use it to create an understory layer in your garden, mass plant it for a tropical look in a shady area, or pot it up for indoors. The seeds germinate readily and you can also take stem cuttings from established plants.

It is one of two cordylines native to this area.

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Elkhorn Fern and Cordyline give a lush look in a garden

  This article is part of our Gardening with natives series.