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Welcome to part two of our look at the Spring flowering plants at the Mt. Coot-tha Botanic
Gardens. Brunfelsia australis, commonly known as yesterday,
today and tomorrow. Don’t be fooled by it’s species name, it isn’t a native and actually
hails from Central and South America. This shrub grows to a maximum of two and a half
metres tall and flowers profusely during September and October with both violet and white flowers
occurring both at the same time. It prefers a sunny position but tolerates afternoon shade.
The Bird of Paradise Plant or Strelitzia reginae is one of the classic showpiece flowers for
a tropical themed garden. They grow up to 2m tall by 2m wide, do well in full sun or
semi-shade but prefer a rich soil and regular watering during the hotter months. They will
not normally produce flowers until they are well established. There are yellow flowered,
dwarf orange flowered and thin leafed cultivars also available. The plant in its natural habitat
in South Africa is pollinated by Sunbirds and this is the reason behind their distinctive
shape. When the sunbirds perch on the green spathe to drink the nectar from the flowers
the blue arrow-like petals open allowing the feet of the birds to be covered with pollen.
This is Dombeya rotundifolia commonly known as South African Wild Pear although not related
to edible pears. It is a small deciduous tree to 6m tall. The wood of this tree is a bluish-grey
colour and is dense and tough and was sought after in the past for building horse-drawn
wagons and carriages. This tree is one of the first to flower in Spring and they certainly
do it in quantity. The abundant white flowers have a sweet scent and can even grow from
the trunk itself. It is also a popular tree amongst beekeepers, as the flowers have a
high nectar content, this one was covered in European Honey Bees and the buzzing was
quite loud, even from a short distance away. This wonderful display of salmon-pink flowers
belongs to the old fashioned tree Rhondeletia amoena. The flowers have a faint perfume and
are good for attracting butterflies. It can grow to about 5m tall or be kept as a shrub
or hedge with regular pruning. They prefer full sun and a slightly acidic, well drained
soil but are sensitive to frosts. They are not troubled by many pests or diseases.
These stunning red flower clusters belong to Brachychiton bidwillii, commonly known
as the Little Kurrajong. It is a local native occurring from South-East Queensland to Bowen.
It can be found naturally in open forests or dry rainforest and grows to about 4m tall.
The species is quite variable and seed grown plants may form a multi-stemmed shrub or develop
a single leader and form a small tree. They will usually drop all their leaves just prior
to flowering which enhances the display. It prefers full sun and well drained soils.
This is Cleome spinosa or Spider Flower. They are known for there spidery pink flowers and
exceptionally long seed pods. This one is a purple variety called Senorita Rosalita.
A favourite of the cut flower industry is the Gerbera. There were both pink and white
ones out in flower today. When buying Gerberas it’s a good idea to select an old fashioned
variety over the more showy modern hybrids which tend to be more prone to pests and diseases
This is a cultivar of Camellia reticulata called Miss Tulare which has large showy red
double flowers. Although less well known than other species of Camellia, reticulata has
some of the largest flowering varieties of all Camellias. This species like full sun,
a rich, acidic soil and lots of mulch to keep the roots cool.
There were many varieties of Azalea also currently out in full bloom today, this one was a lovely
pink cultivar called Rosalie. That’s it for now, thanks for watching.