About the Waterwise plant selector
The Waterwise Plant Selector has been developed with all due diligence and care by the Urban Water Policy and Management business unit from the Department of Environment and Resource Management (the department).
The department is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the information, and holds no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Any decisions made by you based on the Waterwise Plant Selector are solely your responsibility. Information is from a number of sources and, as such, does not necessarily represent government or departmental policy.
Plant suitability and availability
The Waterwise Plant Selector uses the best available information to help you find waterwise plants, however, the department does not guarantee that any particular plant you find will be suitable for your circumstances.
The Waterwise Plant Selector includes a wide range of plants, not just those stocked by nurseries. Not all plants are commercially available and some may only be grown locally. You may need to contact your local nursery to find out how to locate some plants.
Plants and water needs
The Waterwise Plant Selector will provide details for plants which will grow in your climatic zone with minimal additional water once established. If you have ample water supplies, the range of plants you are able to grow will be greater.
While the emphasis is on waterwise plants, the Waterwise Plant Selector also includes plants with high water needs. This means it can also be useful for gardeners in the wettest parts of the state where plants need to cope with high rainfall conditions.
Plants and climate
The plant selector uses your postcode to determine which climate zone you live in.
Some postcode areas extend over more than one climate zone and search results may include some plants which are unsuitable for a particular climate zone. If your postcode covers a wide geographic area, please check with a local nursery to ensure the plants in your search results are suitable for your area.
Plant toxicity
Some plants, including common garden plants, are toxic and you should consult the Queensland Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for further information.
Weeds
Plants which are grown as garden plants in one area of Queensland may be categorised as weeds in another and the classification of plants as weeds can change from time to time. The Waterwise Plant Selector excludes all major weed species, but may include some plants which are classified as weeds in one or more Queensland regions.
You can check the weed classification status of plants on the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation website.
Protected plants
Some plants are classified as protected, because they are either endangered, vulnerable or near-threatened, under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Where protected plants are included in the Waterwise Plant Selector, this classification is shown on the relevant page. When acquiring these plants, it is important to ensure that the supplier has the appropriate permits or has lawfully obtained the plants.
Feedback
If you have enquiries about any of the information included in the Waterwise Plant Selector, or have any additional information or suggestions, please use the feedback form. Feedback will be reviewed on a regular basis and plant information will be updated as required
Adding a new plant to the Waterwise Plant Selector
If you know of a plant species not included in the Waterwise Plant Selector you can suggest that it be included by completing our online form.
Suggest a plant for inclusion in the Waterwise plant selector.
Adding a photo to the Waterwise Plant Selector
We do not have photos for all of the plants included in the Waterwise Plant Selector. If you have a photo for one of the plants without a photo, and would like to suggest it be included, you can send it to us.
Suggest a photo for inclusion in the Waterwise plant selector. (PDF, 85K)*
* Requires Adobe Reader
Last reviewed 21 July 2011
Last updated 11 November 2010