Time seems to be ‘out of joint’ for our plants as well as us. Spring flowering plants such as the low-growing guinea-flowers, the Silky Hibbertia sericea, and Tall Hibbertia riparia with yellow flowers, the yellow or red large pea flowers of Common Wedge-pea, Gompholobium ecostatum, and white or pink on the small upright Triggerplant, Stylidium graminifolium, have all produced a few flowers out of season. Male trees of Drooping Sheoak, Allocasuarina verticillata, are producing their orange tassels usually seen in autumn/winter.
However, several large shrubs or trees are displaying their customary summer white flowers: big trees such as our iconic Moonahs, Melaleuca lanceolata, with masses of small ‘bottle-brush’ flowers, and Messmates, Eucalyptus obliqua, with abundant cream heavily scented ‘gumnut baby’ flowers. Tree Everlasting, Ozothamnus ferrugineus, has been flowering for some time with large clusters of tiny flowers. The propeller-like flowers of Sea Box, Alyxia buxifolia, are now turning into large orange-red berries.
Sea Box flower and berries
Ellinor Campbell