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There is some info on native frangipani on the web site.

The tree is usually propagated from seed. It doesn't need to be from an old tree but the seed needs to be fresh (ie sow it not long after the fruiting capsules open when the seed can be easily collected). Cuttings are also successful.

You can get some basic guidelines on propagation from the web site at:

I hope this helps.

Grevilleas are not the easiest plants to grow from seed - some species germinate well but others don't. There are some guidelines on the Society's web site - check out The Grevillea Page and the Plant Propagation section.

One other thing...Grevilleas are renowned for hybridising in the garden. This means that seeds often don't come true to the parent plant. For example, seeds from the hybrid "Misty Pink" (pink flowers) often produce plants with white flowers. The situation can be the same with other species and cultivars.

This is why most growers propagate garden-grown grevilleas from cuttings.

Great to hear from you - we don't get much contact from your part of the world!

Castanospermum australe is indeed an Australian plant and one that is quite widely cultivated.

It is found in rainforests along the east coast of Australia from Cape York in Queensland (the most northern point in Australia to the north coast of New South Wales). It is a member of the family Fabaceae and there is only a single species. It has a couple of common names (Black Bean; Morton Bay Chestnut).

A brief description.....

It is a medium to large tree up to 30 metres high x 12 metres wide but usually smaller in cultivation. The bark is smooth, grey to dark brown in colour. Leaves are pinnate up to 45 cm long with 8 to 17 oval leaflets about 12 cm x 5 cm. In spring it has large clusters of red or reddish yellow flowers which are followed by large seed pods containing up to 5 seeds which can be 4 to 5 cm diameter. The flowers contain a lot of nectar and attract birds.

The seeds are regarded as being poisonous and there are many records of people becoming ill after eating them. Cattle have died after eating large quantities.

The tree is widely cultivated and grows well in dry inland areas and cool climates quite different from its natural habitat. It grows well as a container plant and is often used for indoor decoration. It responds well to rich soils and is regarded as an easy-to-grow species here.

Propagation is easy from the seeds which don't need any special pre-treatment.

There is some more detailed information at the "Plants for a Future" web site.

Pomaderris is a very neglected genus in cultivation, but there are a number of species worth growing - if you can find plants!

John Wrigley has a few tips to pass on.....

Pomaderris are normally propagated from cuttings which strike fairly easily. However, some success has been had from seed by heating the seed in an oven for 10 minutes at 150^oC. Other methods that have been used are to place the seed in freshly boiled waer for 15 minutes and scarifying the seed by rubbing between coarse emery paper prior to sowing.

The seed also needs to be freshly harvested.

John Wrigley replies.....

Euodia (now Melicope elleryana) is found naturally in areas that are almost constantly wet and although you say that you water regularly, I wonder if you allow the roots to be soaked. The hot weather should not bother these plants if the roots are kept moist. It is best to water with a fixed spray rather than a hand-held hose to allow the water to penetrate deep into the soil.

The small euodia (Evodiella muelleri) also enjoys damp conditions. Both plants are hardy in cultivation and usually have no disease problems. I don't know what sort of fertiliser you use but both species would enjoy a dressing of Dynamic Lifter a couple of time a year in February and August in your climate.

Hope this helps.

Agapanthus is certainly an environmental weed in some areas (eg. Blue Mountains, NSW and parts of South Australia and Victoria and possibly elsewhere). I can't say for sure whether it's a problem in the Seymour area.

There is reference to Agapanthus as a weed on the following pages, but no detailed information, unfortunately:

• Department of Natural Resources: Victoria - Coastal Systems
• Bushland Weeds in South Australia

Hope this helps your argument!

Well, I can't give you a definitive list because it depends on where you are and what the soils are like. Generally, though, you can grow lots of plants in the root zone of eucalypts with one main proviso. Can you keep water supplied?

The biggest battle in trying to establish the plants is caused by the trees taking up moisture rapidly. Unless you can arrange to deliver water to the under-plantings on a regular basis, it will be difficult to get plants to thrive.

If the water problem can be addressed, plants worth growing are Prostanthera species ("mint bushes" - these wilt noticeably when stressed through lack of water and are useful as indicators of dryness), Eriostemon, Philotheca, Crowea, Correa. If the shade is not too dense, smaller banksias, tea trees and bottlebrushes would be worth trying.

If you can get hold of the book "Grow What Where" from a library, you'll find plant lists for all sorts of situations.

Actually, there is a list on the web site but, perhaps it's not as easy to find as it could be. The list was compiled after the 1994 New South Wales' fires in response to many requests.

A caveat, however....the list has no scientific basis and was compiled from a number of sources both published and anecdotal. It can be found on our web site.

The Australian Flora Foundation funded a research project to look at the ingnitability of a range of Australian plants. I haven't seen the study but a brief report was published in the September 1999 issue of Australian Plants online.

You'll find most of the info (+ photos) you need on our web site at the following links:

• The Eucalyptus Page
• Ironbarks - a group of Eucalyptus species with thick, furrowed bark. Try these:
  
  • The Eucalyptus Page
  • Eucalyptus sideroxylon
• The Acacia Page
• Wattles - common name for Acacia
• Mulga is the common name for Acacia aneura
• The Banksia Page
• Kurrajong - The botanical name is Brachychiton populneum. Try this link for information on the related species, Brachychiton rupestris
• Sandalwood - The botanical name is Santalum lanceolatum. Try this link for information on the related species, Santalum acuminatum and also in the September 1997 issue of Australian Plants online.
• Casuarina - There is not much online information available. Try this link for the Society's Canberra Region. One species, Casuarina equisetifolia, is an environmental weed in Florida.
• Dodder - No online information available. It is a parasitic plant which covers shrubs in dense, wiry foliage.

I Hope this helps

Stylidium isn't an orchid. It's a genus of 120 or so species with a grass-like habit or having a rosette of leaves at ground level. The flowers occur on stems arising from the middle of the leaves. They are called "trigger plants' because the flowers have a "column" which has a spring-like mechanism to deposit pollen on a visiting insect....see the diagram.

With a bit of luck, there will be an article on Stylidium in the June 2000 issue of Australian Plants online. In the meantime, you'll find information at the following links:

• Ben Richardson's Western Australian Wildflower site
• Environment Australia's Threatened Species site

I'm not aware of any specific treatment for any of those listed except for Lomandra which may benefit from the use of smoke water.

You're right, the seed of Christmas bush is embedded within the old flower so just sow the whole thing. You might find, however, that germination is slow and far from 100%.

Well - it's certainly a Banksia.

Difficult to say which one but may be B.prionites or B.hookeriana, both native to Western Australia.