Grasses for the Hills

The following list is comprised of grasses indigenous to the hills area of Mitcham: 

  • Carex tereticaulis.
  • Cyperus vaginatus (Stiff Flat Sedge).
  • Danthonia setacea (Bristly Wallaby Grass).
  • Dianella revoluta (Black Anther Flax Lilly).
  • Juncus flavidus (Yellow Rush).
  • Lomandra multiflora (Hard Mat Rush).
  • Stipa elegantssima (Elegant Spear Grass).
  • Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass).
  • Poa crassicaudex (Thick Stemmed Tussock Grass).

Low Shrubs for the Hills

The following list is comprised of plants indigenous to the hills area of Mitcham:

Acacia acinacea (Wreath Wattle)

Shapely, showy bush to 1.5 metres, it will withstand a wide range of conditions and is particularly attractive during spring when every branch is covered with a mass of bright yellow flowers.

Acacia myrtifolia (Myrtle Wattle)

Small shrub to 1 metre, branches have a red tinge, leaves bright green with yellow markings. Bright yellow flowers form a ball in winter and spring.

Astroloma conostephioidies (Flame Heath)

Erect, much branched shrub to 1.5 metres, sharply pointed leaves are blue - green in colour. Bright red, hanging flowers appear from autumn to spring.

Astroloma humifusum (Native Cranberry)

Ground hugging shrub, pointy blue - green leaves. Bright red, upward facing flowers appear all year round.

Bursaria spinosa (Sweet Bursaria)

Bushy, much branched shrub to 2 metres, olive-green leaves, able to tolerate a wide range of conditions. Large numbers of fragrant, white flowers appear in summer.

Calytrix tetragona (Common Fringe Myrtle)

Small, bushy shrub to 1 metre, able to tolerate all soil conditions. Masses of white or pink flowers appear in clusters in late winter.

Correa alba (White Correa)

Spreading shrub to 1 metre, green leaves are covered in fine hairs. White flowers appear from autumn to winter.

Correa glabra (Rock Correa)

Shrub to 1 metre, smooth leaves have a lemon fragrance when crushed, pendulous, red flowers appear in winter.

Correa pulchella (Native Fuschia)

Small shrub to 0.5 metres, pale red flowers appear on slender stalks in winter.

Daviesia ulcifolia (Gorse Bitter Pea)

Shrub to 2 metres with stiff branches, leaves are narrow and sharply pointed. Yellow flowers appear in groups along the stem in winter and spring.

Dillwynia hispida (Red Parrot Pea)

Slender erect shrub to 1 metre, yellow-orange flowers appear in spring.

Eutaxia microphylla (Mallee Bush Pea)

Twiggy shrub to 1 metre, small blue-green leaves, orange and red flowers in spring.

Goodenia amplexans (Clasping Goodenia)

Spreading shrub to 1.5 metres, heart shaped leaves are sticky and clasp the stem. Yellow flowers in spring and summer.

Goodenia ovata (Hop Goodenia)

Several slender stems grow upward from the base to a height of 1 to 2 metres. Yellow flowers occur most of the year.

Grevillea lavandulacea (Lavender Grevillea)

Small, sprawling shrub to 1 metre, leaves are variable in shape and size. Red flowers are present for most of the year.

Hakea rugosa (Dwarf Hakea)

Delicate, spreading shrub to 1 metre, adaptable to most conditions. White or cream flowers appear in winter and spring.

Hibbertia sericea (Silky Guinea Flower)

Shrub to 0.5 metres, leaves are covered in fine hairs giving a soft appearance. Yellow flowers appear in spring.

Leptorhynchos squamatus (Scaly Buttons)

Herb to 0.5 metres with several upright stems, leaves are rolled downwards and are covered in fine hairs. Yellow daisy flowers appear in spring and early summer.

Olearia ramulosa (Twiggy Daisy Bush)

Erect, much branched shrub to 2 metres, dark green leaves with white underside. This is a very adaptable plant which produces white flowers all year round.

Pultenaea acerosa (Bristly Bush Pea)

Much branched rigid shrub to 1 metre, stiff leaves are sharply pointed. Yellow flowers with red markings appear in clusters on side branches during spring and early summer..

Pultenaea largiflorens (Twiggy Bush Pea)

Erect shrub to 1.5 metres, wedge shaped leaves are folded inwards. Spectacular red, orange and mauve flowers occur in winter and spring.

Rhagodia candolleana (Seaberry Saltbush)

Sprawling shrub to 1 metre, leaves dark green with white underside. Green flowers form a spray in summer and turn into fleshy, red fruit.

Vittadinia australasica (Vittadinia)

Erect rigid shrub to 1 metre, leaves and stems sticky to touch. Blue or purple flowers are present for most of the year.

Tall Shrubs for the Hills

The following list is comprised of tall shrubs indigenous to the hills area of Mitcham:

Acacia paradoxa (Kangaroo Thorn)

Bushy shrub to 3 metres which tolerates a wide range of conditions, rich yellow flowers occur in winter and spring. This plant has two very sharp spines at the base of each leaf which should be taken into consideration when choosing a planting location.

Banksia Marginata (Silver Banksia)

Bushy shrub to 4 metres, smooth sided leaves are dark green with a pale underside. Yellow or orange flowers are grouped and form a tall, stiff, cylindrical brush all year round.

Dodonaea viscosa (Hop Bush)

Erect shrub to 3 metres, it has thin stems with bright green, sticky leaves. It will tolerate a wide range of conditions and has insignificant green flowers which occur in spring and early summer.

Hakea carinata (Hakea)

Erect, untidy shrub to 2 metres, prefers well drained soils. White flowers appear in spring.

Melaleuca decussata (Totem Poles)

Slender shrub to 2 metres, leaves grow in pairs and are blue - green in colour. Grows well in damp soils. Flowers are pink and appear in clustered spikes along the branches in spring and early summer.

Xanthorrhoea semiplana (Yacca)

This plant has a very striking appearance with a thick, woody trunk to 2 metres in height which is topped with a dense skirt of long, blue-green leaves. Flowering spikes which extend up to a further 2 metres from the top of the plant add to it's striking appearance.

Trees for the Hills

The following list is comprised of trees indigenous to the hills area of Mitcham:

Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood)

Erect tree 10 - 20 metres in height with a rounded, dense canopy. Creamy - yellow flowers appear in Spring. This specimen favours deep, moist soils.

Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle)

Fast growing, bushy tree to 8 metres in height. This tree has a spectacular, fragrant floral display from late winter (Australia's floral emblem). It will thrive on poor soils but is often relatively short lived when grown under cultivation.

Acacia retinoides (Wirilda)

Small tree to 6 metres in height of shapely appearance, although not particularly showy, it will flower for most of the year.

Allocasuarina verticillata (Drooping Sheoak)

Small, rounded tree to 5 metres. Attractive weeping appearance, golden - orange flowers appear in spring.

Callitris preissii (Southern Cypress Pine)

With a mature height of approximately 10 metres this tree grows with a uniform shape and is a very attractive specimen. Although this tree will tolerate most soil types, poorer soils will result in a smaller bushier specimen.

Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum)

This is the most widely distributed of all the Eucalypts, occurring in all mainland states. It is a fast growing, extremely long lived tree, flowering during summer and will tolerate most soil types. This is a very large majestic tree, it may attain heights of up to 40 metres, this species is notorious for dropping large limbs and should be considered for planting only in a park setting.

Eucalyptus cosmophylla (Cup Gum)

Short, thick set tree to 4 metres, generally a low branched bushy tree. Very hardy with dark grey - green leaves and white flowers in the spring.

Eucalyptus fasciculosa (Pink Gum)

Variable tree to 8 metres, branches are often twisted in appearance, smooth pink - grey trunk. Large bunches of white - cream flowers appear in winter and spring.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon (South Australian Bluegum)

A large tree up to 25 metres in height, it has an erect habit, pale trunk and an open canopy. Flowers range in colour from cream to deep red and occur in autumn - winter. This is a very adaptable tree which will tolerate most soil types.

Eucalyptus microcarpa (Grey Box)

A variable tree with a mature height of between 6 and 20 metres, it has a rough, fissured trunk and creamy - white flowers which occur in late summer. This tree will adapt to most soil types and has a spreading, open canopy.

Eucalyptus obliqua (Messmate Stringybark)

Large tree to 25 metres, dark fibrous bark on trunk and branches. Glossy dark green leaves, small groups of cream - white flowers appear in summer to early winter.

Eucalyptus porosa (Mallee Box)

A rough barked tree which may vary in height from 6 to 12 metres depending on the soil quality. This tree has white flowers occurring mostly in summer, it will tolerate all soil types and its spreading habit provides excellent shade.

Eucalyptus rubida (Candlebark Gum)

Tall, erect tree to 30 metres in height, generally very straight trunked with white, waxy bark. Prefers fertile soils and a dependable water supply. Inconspicuous white flowers appear in summer.

Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum)

Tall, spreading tree to 30 metres, deciduous grey bark is shed in long strips. One of the small number of Eucalypts favoured by Koala Bears. White flowers appear in summer.

Pittosporum phylliraeoides (Native Apricot)

A handsome, gracious tree growing to 12 metres in height with a weeping habit. It has a pale grey trunk and sparse, slender branches which often droop to ground level. Its flowers are pale yellow and borne in summer, flowers are followed by attractive orange fruit resembling a small apricot. This tree is easily cultivated and will tolerate a wide range of soil types and climatic conditions.