I have been enjoying two really colourful and widespread flowers brightening up the bush in this dull time of year.
Common Heath Epacris impressa. really stands out with its masses of tubular flowers up the stem among the prickly triangular short leaves. Flowers vary in colour from white to all shades of pink up to red, with the pink form being our state emblem.
Common Heath
Common Correa C. reflexa also has delightful red tubular flowers, but each flower is a separate unit of beauty as it dangles alone with a curled-out green tip and stamens peeping out. You may also find the less common green flowering form.
Common Correa
Another widespread shrub which is looking quite fresh and lovely is Dusty Miller Spyridium parvifolium. It is the greyish-white, hairy, and heavily veined floral leaves that stand out. It requires a close look to see the tiny cream flowers, which look quite pink and hairy in the bud stage.
Dusty Miller
I have been interested to see brilliant white flowers of Ixodia I. achillaeoides subsp. alata drying out, with the receptacle, bracts and stalk becoming very brown.
Along our coastal cliffs and reserves the male plants of Drooping Sheoak Allocasuarina verticillata are looking quite beautiful at the moment. The long orange-tan strings of tiny, bead-like flowers appear to be threaded along the ends of the drooping branchlets, giving the whole plant a colourful glow of warm colour
Drooping Sheoak – flowers on male plant
Drooping Sheoak – flowers on male plant
Drooping Sheoak – male and female plants
I forgot to look out for a smelly plant this month, but have been delighted to see small flowers developing in Honey-pots Acrotriche serrulata. It does require careful investigation to find them, as they grow at the base of the stems, hidden from casual view. Currently the buds are pink, but they will turn green and then secrete a sweet nectar.
Honey-pots
Do they have a nice aroma? I don’t know…yet! Make sure to carry ‘Flowers of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet’ when looking for flowers.
Ellinor Campbell