(But note that there are no guarantees. For some reasons for this, see articles below the list.)
Best Species for Heavy Frosts (over approx -7°C )
e.g. OPEN PLAINS OF THE DARLING DOWNS, VERY EXPOSED AREAS, HOLLOWS BELOW HILLS
Large Trees
Araucaria bidwillii BUNYA PINE
Casuarina cristata BELAH
Casuarina cunninghamiana RIVER SHE-OAK
Eucalyptus camaldulensis RIVER RED GUM
Eucalyptus eugenioides THIN LEAFED STRINGYBARK
Eucalyptus viminalis MANNA GUM
Medium Trees
Acacia deanei DEANE’S WATTLE
Acacia harpophylla BRIGALOW
Acacia implexa LIGHTWOOD (If seed of local provenance)
Acacia maidenii MAIDEN’S WATTLE
Acacia pendula WEEPING MYALL
Acacia stenophylla DALBY WATTLE
Callitris glaucophylla WHITE CYPRESS
Cupaniopsis parvifolia SCRUB TUCKEROO (protect while small)
Eucalyptus conica FUZZY BOX
Geijera salicifolia SCRUB WILGA (protect while small)
Melaleuca bracteata BLACK SHE-OAK
Melia azedarach WHITE CEDAR
Melicope micrococca. WHITE DOUGHWOOD
Pittosporum angustifolium GUMBY GUMBY
Small Trees
Acacia deanei DEANE’S WATTLE
Acacia hakeoides HAKEA WATTLE
Hymenosporum flavum NATIVE FRANGIPANI
Shrubs
Bursaria spinosa SWEET BURSARIA
Denhamia bilocularis HEDGE ORANGEBARK
Denhamia silvestris NARROW-LEAFED ORANGEBARK
Dodonaea triangularis TRIANGLE LEAF HOPBUSH
Eremophila maculata SPOTTED EMU BUSH
Hibbertia aspera ROUGH GUINEA FLOWER
Lomatia silaifolia CRINKLE BUSH
Senna artemisioides subsp. zygophylla DESERT SENNA
Tasmannia insipida NATIVE PEPPER BUSH
Xanthorrhoea glauca GRASS TREE
Ground Cover
Eremophila debilis DEVIL’S MARBLES
Lilies
Dianella caerulea BLUE FLAX LILY
Dianella longifola LONG LEAFED FLAX LILY
Dianella revoluta BLACK ANTHER FLAX LILY
Rushes and Sedges
Lomandra longifolia LONG LEAFED MATRUSH
Carex appressa TALL SEDGE
Juncus usitatus PIN RUSH
Grasses
Poa labillardierei TUSSOCK GRASS
Poa sieberiana SNOW GRASS
Themeda triandra KANGAROO GRASS
Also all the grasses which grow naturally on our black soil plains.
Climbers
Hardenbergia violacea PURPLE WANDERER
For Areas of Moderate Frosts (approx. -3°C to -5°C)
e.g. WESTERN EDGES OF TOOWOOMBA, HILLS AND LIGHTLY TREED AREAS OF DARLING DOWNS
The above species, plus:
Large Trees
Araucaria cunninghamii HOOP PINE
Castanospermum australe BLACK BEAN
Corymbia intermedia PINK BLOODWOOD
Diploglottis australis NATIVE TAMARIND
Dysoxylum fraserianum ROSEWOOD
Eucalyptus biturbinata LARGE FRUITED GREY GUM
Eucalyptus crebra NARROW LEAFED IRONBARK
Eucalyptus microcorys TALLOWWOOD
Eucalyptus moluccana GUM TOPPED BOX
Eucalyptus pilularis BLACKBUTT
Eucalyptus tereticornis FOREST RED GUM
Euroschinus falcata RIBBONWOOD
Ficus rubiginosa SCRUB FIG
Medium Trees
Acacia irrorata GREEN WATTLE
Acacia melanoxylon BLACKWOOD
Acmena smithii COMMON LILLYPILLY
Allocasuarina luehmannii BULL OAK
Allocasuarina torulosa HILL SHE-OAK
Alphitonia excelsa SOAP TREE
Angophora floribunda ROUGH BARKED APPLEGUM
Aphananthe philippinensis NATIVE ELM
Auranticarpa rhombifolia GOLDEN HOLLYWOOD
Brachychiton acerifolius FLAME TREE
Brachychiton discolor LACEBARK
Brachychiton populneus KURRAJONG
Brachychiton rupestris BOTTLE TREE
Capparis mitchellii NATIVE CAPER
Cryptocarya glaucescens JACKWOOD
Cryptocarya triplinervis var. pubens HAIRY BROWN LAUREL
Elaeocarpus obovatus HARD QUANDONG
Eucalyptus melanophloia SILVER LEAVED IRONBARK
Eucalyptus melliodora YELLOW BOX
Eucalyptus populnea BIMBIL BOX
Flindersia collina LEOPARD ASH
Grevillea robusta SILKY OAK
Guioa semiglauca GUIOA
Mallotus philippensis RED KAMALA
Pittosporum undulatum SWEET PITTOSPORUM
Small Trees
Acacia fimbriata BRISBANE WATTLE
Acacia hakeoides HAKEA WATTLE
Acacia salicina WILLOW WATTLE
Acronychia oblongifolia WHITE ASPEN
Banksia integrifolia TREE BANKSIA
Croton insularis SILVER CROTON
Diospyros humilis SMALL LEAFED QUEENSLAND EBONY
Leptospermum polygalifolium TANTOON TEA TREE
Melaleuca quercina OAKEY BOTTLEBRUSH
Melaleuca viminalis (Callistemon viminalis) RED WEEPING BOTTLEBRUSH
Pittosporum viscidum BIRDS NEST BUSH
Psydrax buxifolia (Canthium buxifolium) BOX LEAFED CANTHIUM
Shrubs
Acacia decora PRETTY WATTLE
Acacia podalyriifolia QUEENSLAND SILVER WATTLE
Dodonaea triangularis TRIANGLE LEAF HOPBUSH
Dodonaea triquetra LARGE LEAF HOP BUSH
Hovea lanceolata LANCE LEAFED HOVEA
Hovea longipes BRUSH HOVEA
Indigofera australis NATIVE INDIGO
Jacksonia scoparia DOGWOOD
Carissa ovata KUNKERBERRY
Cassinia laevis COUGH BUSH
Dodonaea viscosa STICKY HOP BUSH
Maireana microphylla SMALL LEAFED BLUEBUSH
Pittosporum revolutum HAIRY PITTOSPORUM
Rhagodia parabolica FRAGRANT SALTBUSH
Rhagodia spinescens HEDGE SALTBUSH
Solanum aviculare KANGAROO APPLE
Lilies
Alocasia brisbanensis CUNJEVOI
Doryanthes palmeri SPEAR LILY
Other flowering plants
Swainsona galegifolia DARLING PEA
Climbers
Hardenbergia violacea HARDENBERGIA
Clematis glycinoides OLD MAN’S BEARD
Kennedia rubicunda RED KENNEDY PEA
Pandorea jasminoides WONGA VINE
Billardiera scandens APPLE DUMPLINGS
Hardenbergia violacea HARDENBERGIA
Hibbertia scandens SNAKE VINE
Pandorea pandorana WONGA VINE
Ground Covers
Atriplex semibaccata CREEPING SALTBUSH
Enchylaena tomentosa RUBY SALTBUSH
Small Flowering Plants
Chrysocephalum apiculatum YELLOW BUTTONS
Goodenia rotundifolia STAR GOODENIA
Scaevola albida FAIRY FAN FLOWER
Lilies
Bulbine bulbosa BULBINE LILY
Grasses
Microlaena stipoides WEEPING RICE GRASS
Rushes and Sedges
Schoenoplectus validus RIVER CLUBRUSH
Lomandra hystrix CREEK MATRUSH
Tolerates Light Frosts Only (to approx -2.5°C)
(e.g. MOST FROSTS AROUND TOOWOOMBA AND ALONG THE RANGE)
Large Trees
Argyrodendron actinophyllum BLACK BOOYONG
Eucalyptus saligna SYDNEY BLUE GUM
Ficus macrophylla MORETON BAY FIG
Ficus watkinsiana GREEN LEAFED MORETON BAY FIG
Flindersia australis CROWS ASH
Lophostemon confertus BRUSH BOX
Toona ciliata RED CEDAR
Medium Trees
Arytera divaricata COOGERA
Atalaya salicifolia SCRUB WHITEWOOD
Bursaria incana FROSTY BURSARIA
Capparis arborea RAINFOREST CAPER TREE
Citrus australis NATIVE ROUND LIME
Cupaniopsis parvifolia SCRUB TUCKEROO
Denhamia disperma ORANGE BOXWOOD
Denhamia pittosporoides VEINY DENHAMIA
Diospyros australis PLUM EBONY
Drypetes deplanchei YELLOW TULIPWOOD
Elattostachys xylocarpa WHITE BEETROOT TREE
Emmenosperma alphitoniodes YELLOW ASH
Ficus coronata CREEK SANDPAPER FIG
Flindersia xanthoxyla LONG JACK
Guioa semiglauca GUIOA
Glochidion ferdinandi CHEESE TREE
Gmelina leichhardtii WHITE BEECH
Myrsine variabilis MUTTONWOOD
Polyscias elegans CELERYWOOD
Rhodosphaera rhodanthema DEEP YELLOWWOOD
Streblus brunonianus WHALEBONE TREE
Vitex lignum-vitae SATINWOOD
Small Trees
Alectryon tomentosus HAIRY BIRDS EYE
Backhousia angustfolia MYRTLE, CURRY
Gossia bidwillii PYTHON TREE
Psydrax species CANTHIUM
Streblus pendulinus WHALEBONE TREE
Shrubs
Alchornea ilicifolia, HOLLY DOVEWOOD
Pittosporum revolutum HAIRY PITTOSPORUM
Trema tomentosa TREMA
10 comments:
Thank you for this list! We are slowly planting mainly native trees around our yard in Meringandan. We must have really severe frosts here as my Scrub Tuckeroo's and Scrub Wilga's were decimated this winter by frost - we didn't get them covered in time (they were put in last October). I'll be sure to try some different trees from this list. I also have some Gumby Gumby's and they have been wonderful - maybe I need to plant more of those :) Rebekah
Thank you for your comments, Rebekah.
It is really difficult to give reliable advice on what grows where. Frosts are so very variable, so it's good to hear what really worked for you.
It is interesting to hear that your gumby gumby are doing so well. I'll move them up to the "heavy frost" list on the strength of your experience. Perhaps you need to put in more of them, as part of the process of planting the trees you enjoy at the same time as creating cover which will let those others grow. You will be surprised, in ten years' time, at the things you can grow which once would have seemed impossible for you.
Cheers,
Trish
Hi Trish, Rhaponticum australe are really frost hardy, Cambooya frost hardy!! - even at the 2 leaf stage...I planted out the babies before Winter and they all survived.
I found the younger Pittosporum angustifolium (those only about 20cm high and experiencing their first Winter) lost all their leaves but they came back as soon as Spring arrived. They had no frost protection. Though the larger saplings don't miss a beat all Winter.
Hi Ros.
Thanks for that. It's good to know.
I am depending on my phone for internet at the moment, but will update the list when I have access to a more sensible computer again.
Trish
Hi we just moved into Harlaxton on North street and I want to do up some nice gardens around the house but I need to grow pet freindly ones out the back of my house for our dogs can you give me some ideas please also would like to start up a fruit tree patch and grow our own veggies and herbs thank you for any assistance Rikina
Hello Rikina.
Any of the plants on the above list would be pet friendly.
With regard to your fruit tree and veggies enquiry, I really can't help. If you look at my blogsite more closely you would notice that it is a blog on the subject of growing our local native plants. I have no particular expertise on any other gardening subjects, so don't give advice outside the blog's actual topic.
I wish you all the best with your garden project, and suggest than when you are choosing plants for your garden (other than edible plants of course) you do consider growing some of the environmentally friendly plants which are the topic of this blog.
Cheers,
Trish
Hi Trish,
I commented here two years ago about a couple of trees that did not survive the frost in Meringandan. The Scrub Tuckeroos and Scrub Wilgas in our yard grew back from the base and achieved knee high growth before winter 2018. We covered them in frost cloth that winter, but they died off and came back after the frost - again. Fast forward to 2019 and the same thing has happened again! The trees have not grown much past knee height in the three years they've been in the ground. Perhaps these plants are not suitable to our microclimate or are very slow growing? Looks like I need to do more research!
The Gumby Gumbys are still going well - my neighbours really like the look of them - beautiful green in the midst of a drought! One other tree from your list that just doesn't stop growing, even last year when we had so little rain (it grew at least 40cm), is the Brachychiton Populneus Kurrajong. It is in the middle of the yard and quite exposed, but was close to 1m tall when planted, so perhaps that made the difference in it surviving frost?
Hi. I am wondering who left the last comment. Is that Rebekah?
I'm glad to hear that you are having some successes.
The scrub tuckeroos and scrub wilgas are right for Meringandan, but it sounds as though you have a microclimate problem.
The roots are probably in good order, but not growing as fast as they should if the leaves keep getting knocked back. Roots need the leaves to be making food for them.
I actually have a plant that I pulled out three times, thinking it was dead. Each time I kept it in the shadehouse till it recovered. I finally found a sheltered spot on my block where it has thrived, and is now more than 3 metres high.
Sometimes plants get enough growth in summer to get up above the frost and then they take off. You can help this along with a bit of water and some mulch.
Try to get the water deep. Watering the top 10cm of soil is just a waste of water because it encourages root growth then evaporates off, letting those shallow roots die. It's the deep roots that need help.
As for mulch, it's really worth stretching the budget to achieve this if you possibly can. It makes an enormous difference to young plantings. Forest mulch is the best, unless you happen to have a good source of something organic and cheaper. Lawn clippings can actually have a negative effect. They are low in nutrients, and thatch down, keeping the rain away from the plant. Coarse slasher mulch that the rain can get through is good, though. Whatever you use, it should still be 10cm deep after it has had time to settle, and should be in a circle 1m diameter around the plant.
Mulch does cost money, but it's better to spend a good section of your planting budget on it and use cheap tubestock plants, than to buy more expensive plants.
You might also like to modify the microclimate around the plants with small fast-growing plants that will shelter it. It doesn't matter whether they are native or not, and short-lived things are fine, but they should create dense foliage. Everything from lavender to shrubs like sennas, small wattles, and so on helps. The important thing in your case is to get good shelter, a metre or more deep, going before next winter. Plant things quite close together - say 50cm from the wilga and tuckeroo, and 30cm from each other. This means they are creating microclimate in a short time.
If the shelter plants get higher than your poor small trees, they will both encourage them to grow higher and will shelter them from frost next winter, so you don't have to go through all that fuss of putting up frost covers next winter.
Hope this helps.
Trish
Patricia,
I would like to purchase a Native Pepper Bush for my sister who lives in Toowoomba. Do you know where I can get one please.
Regards
No, I'm sorry, I don't know where they can be bought.
Do remember that with Australian native plants it can be a help in tracking them down if you use the botanical name (Tasmannia insipida)rather than the common name. There are several different plants that go by the name "native pepper", but only one Tasmannia insipida.
Trish
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