Wild native bush

 

By watching and waiting I safely cross the Brooker. I am immediately surrounded by native, wild bush. There is a variety of plants. All living together creating beauty. What are these plants that fill me full of delight?

A common plant on the Domain is the Prickly box. As its name suggests it has thorns. They are sharp. Be careful. They tell you the name of the shrub. The shrub is about the height of an average human. This time of year, the flowers have finished. The shrub is becoming dormant.

A very similar, and equally routine, shrub is the native hopbush. Similar height but its leaves are slightly bigger. And the summer flowers are followed by seed capsules in spring.

I love the casuarina. There are no cassowary birds in Hobart but we have casuarina trees which take their name from the cassowary bird. The foliage resembles the feathers of a cassowary bird. It is a beautiful tree with dropping foliage and cones.

The main tree on the Domain is the Southern Blue Gum or Eucalyptus Globulus. Or as aborigines called it, Moonah. A big tree.  Large leaves. Flowers followed by large capsules which, at present, litter the ground.

But the plant with the best story has to be Dianella. A common strap like plant. About one meter tall. Flowers in spring followed by shiny blue/purple berries. About 1/2 cm long. The plant is common in private and public gardens around Hobart.

The name Dianella comes from an old Roman story. Dianna, a Roman goddess of hunting, was involved in a race. Her competitor threw some golden berries. Dianna bent down to pick up the berries and lost the race. The berries look edible. Some species are edible.  Some are not. Enjoy looking at them.

Please: can we make these plants easily accessible so that all can enjoy them. Build an overpass across the Brooker at Clearys Gate.