Plant attributes
- Aromatic
- Bird attracting
- Bore water tolerance
- Butterfly attracting
- Edible plants
- Flower colour
- Foliage colour
- Foliage retention
- Frost tolerance
- Greywater tolerance
- Light requirements
- Maintenance
- Native
- Perfume
- Plant name
- Plant size
- Plant type
- Soil type
- Water needs
Aromatic
Many plants have aromatic leaves or stems, which release fragrance when touched. These plants can be located close to paths so that the aroma is released when walking through. Where a plant is aromatic, this is indicated on the plant details page.
Bird attracting
Many plants provide food, in the form of nectar, fruit, berries or seed, for birds. Selecting these plants should attract birds to your garden. Where known, it is indicated which part of the plant is attractive to birds.
Bore water tolerance
Many western Queensland gardens rely on bore water. Bore water quality varies considerably, but in some regions it is highly mineralised (salty or alkaline). Salts can build up in the soil over time and become quite toxic to certain plants. To avoid build-up you should alternate bore water with another water source. Where known, bore water tolerance is identified in the plant selector.
Butterfly attracting
Butterflies are attracted to plants that provide food for caterpillars and nectar for the adult butterflies. Each butterfly species generally feeds on a specific food plant. Where possible, it is indicated whether the plant attracts butterflies.
Edible plants
A range of vegetables and fruit-producing plants are included. Most food plants require regular watering and are not considered waterwise. The water use ratings will allow you to choose the better waterwise options.
Note that the plant selector does include some plants which are classed as toxic. If you are unsure whether a plant is edible, be cautious about eating any plant part. Even some well-known food plants, such as rhubarb and potatoes can be poisonous if eaten raw. If children can access your garden, take extra care with plant selection.
Please refer to the Queensland Health website for more information.
Flower colour
Plants produce flowers in a wide range of colours. Common flower colours are shown for each plant species. Where flowers are inconspicuous or absent, the term ‘insignificant’ is used in place of the colour.
Foliage colour
There is a great diversity of leaf colour, particularly in warmer climates. As well as different shades of green, many plants have highly coloured leaves—allowing gardeners to produce colourful gardens without relying on flowers.
Foliage retention
Plants may vary in leaf retention through the year. The following categories are used in the plant selector:
- evergreen—retain their leaves throughout the year. While density may fall slightly during dry or cool weather, this is generally not noticeable
- deciduous—drop all their leaves during the cooler parts of the year as a protection from cold damage. This is triggered during autumn by declining day length. It is often associated with spectacular shows of leaf colour. Truly deciduous plants are a feature of temperate zones and very few deciduous plants will grow in warmer zones
- semi-deciduous—drop most or all of their leaves as a response to drought, or to conserve water over the dryer months. Semi-deciduous plants are less predictable in leaf drop and this may vary with season, climate and soil moisture levels. Semi-deciduous plants are a feature of subtropical and tropical zones.
Frost tolerance
Frosts occur in parts of southern and western Queensland and can damage some plants. If you live in a frost prone area try to select frost-tolerant species. Frost tolerance can be variable, as a number of factors affect the susceptibility of plants to damage. These include plant nutrition, plant health and soil moisture levels. Many plants are frost sensitive at an early age but more tolerant once established. Other plants may simply need to be planted close to shelter, such as buildings, retaining walls or even other plants.
It would be prudent to seek sound local horticultural advice on the most suitable plants if you live in a frost prone area.
Frost tolerance is shown where known as:
- light
- medium
- high.
Greywater tolerance
Greywater is used household water from bathrooms or laundry, but not from toilets or kitchens. Many gardeners use greywater during dry periods, or year-round, to maintain their gardens.
Greywater quality depends on what goes into it, so if you plan to use greywater on your garden choose low toxicity cleaners and detergents. Avoid products with high sodium and phosphorus levels.
Salts and residues can build up in the soil unless flushed by rain, so alternate the use of greywater with another water source. For more information on gardening with greywater refer to the Waterwise gardens page on this website.
Light requirements
Some plants grow naturally in full sun, others only thrive in shade. In this plant selector, the following light levels are used:
- sun—at least six hours of full sun
- semi-shade—light of 50–70 per cent intensity—such as under a palm, a light canopied tree or in a bush house
- shade—deeper shade of 70–95 per cent intensity—such as cast by trees or structures.
Maintenance
While a no-maintenance garden is rare, some plants have lower maintenance needs than others. Generally, slower growing plants require less pruning and produce less leaf litter. Some plants are also more susceptible to pest and disease damage and may require regular inspections and treatments. In the plant selector, plants are categorised, as an indication only, as needing either low, medium or high levels of maintenance.
Native
Garden plants come from many different countries. This plant selector includes both native and non-native plant species. Some imported (exotic) species can be just as water efficient as Australian natives.
Perfume
Flower perfume can add impact to a garden. Where a flower is perfumed, this is indicated on the plant details page.
Plant name
All plants have a scientific name which consists of the genus and species and most have a common name. The scientific name may be difficult to remember or pronounce, but this name allows botanists to correctly identify each plant. Common names may be unreliable—a plant may have several common names, or many plants may have the same common name.
In developing this database, the current scientific name, previous scientific names and popular common names have been included wherever possible.
Plant size
Knowledge of the future size of a plant allows for its appropriate placement. The expected plant height and width shown are based on optimum cultivation. The final size, however, will vary based on a variety of factors, such as water availability, nutrition and damage from pests and diseases.
As a guide, the size ranges for trees are as follows:
- small tree—from 4 to 10 metres in height
- medium tree—approximately10 to 15 metres in height
- large tree—can exceed 15 metres in height.
Plant type
A number of plant growth forms and types are used in this selector. These are defined below:
- annual—a short lived plant which flowers and dies within a year or a season
- aquatic—a plant that grows in or under water
- bamboo—a large grass producing multiple cylindrical stems from an underground rhizome
- bromeliad—a plant in the family Bromeliaceae
- bulb—plants that have underground, fleshy storage structures.
- climber —a plant that climbs upwards by means of twining stems, leaves or clinging roots
- edible—a plant which produces some edible portion/s.
- fern—seedless vascular plants having roots, stems, and fronds and reproducing by spores
- fruit—a fruit is generally from the ripened ovary together with its seeds, of a flowering plant.
- grass– a plant in the family Poaceae
- groundcover—a low spreading plant
- large tree —a plant with woody growth, can exceed 15 metres in height
- medium tree —a plant with woody growth, around 10 to 15 metres in height
- orchid—a plant in the family Orchidaceae
- palm—a plant in the family Arecaceae
- perennial—long lived plants, non-woody, with recurrent growth
- shrub—a plant with woody growth, up to four metres in height
- small tree—a plant with woody growth, from four to 10 metres in height
- succulent—a plant which stores water in leaves or stems
- tree—a perennial woody plant having a main trunk and usually a distinct crown
- turf—a dense thick even cover of grass and roots in the top layer of soil
- vegetable—the name for many food plants, most of them annuals, and for their edible parts.
Soil type
Soils vary considerably and this impacts on plant growth. The plant selector shows whether the plants are best adapted for growth in sand, loam or clay soils.
- sand—Sandy soils have coarse particles. They have low water and nutrient holding capacity and frequently become non-wetting. Sandy soils are easy to cultivate, are well aerated and have excellent drainage.
- loam—The term loam covers all the soils between sandy and clay soils. Loamy soils have medium-sized particles. They have good water and nutrient holding capacity and normally don't become non-wetting. Loams are said to be the best soils for growing plants.
- clay—Clay soils have very fine particles. They have good water and nutrient holding capacity, but are prone to compaction and waterlogging. They can also be difficult to cultivate, typically becoming sticky when wet and tough when dry.
Some plants (classified as epiphytic) do not rely on soil as a growth medium. Epiphytic plants can grow on a range of media including other plants, and derive nutrients and moisture from the air, rain, debris or other organic sources. These plants can be grown using open compost mixes (commercially available) and/ or mounted on trees or other plants if required.
More information on soil types is available on the Waterwise gardens page of this website.
Water needs
Water ratings are indicated by a number of water drops, from one to five. These correspond to the following approximate annual water requirements:
- ½ drop: up to 100mm—extremely water wise
- 1 drop: 100–300 mm
- 1 ½ drops: 300–600 mm
- 2 drops: 600–900 mm
- 2 ½ drops: 900–1400 mm
- 3 drops: 1400–2000 mm
- 3 ½ drops: 2000–2500 mm
- 4 drops: 2500 mm or more
- 4 ½ drops: constantly moist—on the edge of a permanent water body
- 5 drops: aquatic environment
Not all plants included in the selector have low water needs. You should look at the water ratings for each plant and make your choices carefully. Some simple tips to minimise water needs and cope with future water shortages or restrictions include:
- Group plants with higher water needs together in one location, and use any available rainwater or greywater to keep these plants alive during dry periods.
- Recognise that some plants may die during dry weather, and replace these when wet weather returns.
- Consider the water needs for different locations in the garden. For example, water needs for plants in full hot sun will differ from those of plants in shaded areas.
- Be aware of other waterwise gardening tips, such as: using mulch, understanding your soil type and planning a water-efficient garden. More information is available on the Waterwise gardening page of this website.
Last updated 18 May 2012