Xerochrysum bracteatum 'Princess of Wales'
This cultivar grows into a compact, dense shrub 0.6m tall by
0.6m wide. The leaves are mostly glabrous though the midrib is covered with
a fine mantle of silky hairs. Some scattered silky hairs occur also along
the leaf margins. The younger stems are covered in a dense coat of similar
silky hairs which diminish as the stems become older. The leaves average
between 5 and 9cm in length. The flower heads average 5 to 1.5cm long while
the rays of the inner bracts average 1 to 1.5cm long. Both are a rich gold
in colour. The stigmas are orange colour when they emerge. The flowers are
on long stems that emerge well above the foliage. The flowering season in
Canberra is from October to April but occasional flowers may be found all
year round. The flowering period should not be markedly different in other
parts of Australia.
Diagnosis:
This cultivar may be distinguished from the presumed parent
forms by the following features. The cultivar has the perennial habit of
Xerochrysum 'Dargan Hill Monarch' but lacks the greyish appearance provided
by the fine silky hairs. This perennial habit differs from the annual habit
of the other presumed parent form. The main distinguishing characteristic
is in the cultivar's flowering habit. As flowers die the stem withers and
the whole flower stem and dead flowerheads disappear into the lower foliage
of the plant. At the same time new growth emerges from lower on the plant
and extends above the foliage again. These new stems then bear new
inflorescences. The cultivar is also very free flowering.
Other notes:
The free flowering habit together with the growth habit of
"hiding" the spent flower heads make this a very desirable plant for
cultivation. The cultivar is named in honour of her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales on the occasion of her visit to the Australian National
Botanic Gardens on 7 November 1985. The cultivar is frost hardy and
moderately drought hardy. The cultivar must be propagated by vegetative
means to preserve the cultivar form.
Xerochrysum bracteatum 'Pink Sunrise'
A dense perennial with a width of 60 cm and height of 30 cm.
The pink buds open to cream with an orange centre.
Diagnosis:
Xerochrysum 'Pink Sunrise' is similar to Xerochrysum 'Diamond
Head' but flower colour differs. Xerochrysum 'Diamond Head' is 0.2 m x 0.5
m with 3 cm flower heads held well above narrow green foliage; flowers
yellow with an orange centre.
Brachyscome 'Ramboreef'
The vibrant purple pink flower colour is a striking feature of this new brachyscome. Has a compact suckering growth habit and divided foliage. Good accent plant for garden, and great for containers for patios, courtyards and poolside.
Callistemon 'Reeve's Pink'
The cultivar forms a dense shrub to a height of about 3m with an equal or slightly wider spread. The leaves are entire and about 45mm long by about 8mm wide. The new tip growth is pink and densely covered in silky hairs. The flowers are produced in dense "bottlebrush" clusters which
are themselves often grouped into bunches. Individual "bottlebrushes: are pink and about 70mm long and about 40mm wide. The stamens are the colourful part of the flower.
Diagnosis:
This cultivar is different from its possible parent in its slightly more spreading habit and pink flower colour. The usual colour of Callistemon citrinus is red or lemon.
Callistemon 'Bob Bailey'
The general morphology of this cultivar resembles C. viminalis, growing to 5m tall by 3m wide. The flowers are in dense spikes 100-160mm long by 60mm wide and the filaments are pink in colour. The
flowering season in Townsville is from August to October.
Diagnosis:
Callistemon 'Bob Bailey' can be distinguished from the typical
form of the species by the denser arrangement of flowers on the spikes and
by the flower colour.The filaments are pink instead of the more usual red.
The inflorescence is also slightly wider than is usual for the species.
Other notes:
The cultivar was introduced to horticulture in limited numbers
in 1984. It has proved drought tolerant in Townsville, with even young
plants surviving well through an extended dry period. The general
performance of the cultivar in other parts of Australia should be as for
C. viminalis. The cultivar must be grown by vegetative means to ensure the
cultivar form.
Crowea 'Festival'
This cultivar is a small, dense shrub that grows to
approximately 1m high by 1m wide. The flowers are star shaped, deep pink in
colour and plus/minus 20mm in diameter. It flowers from November to March
in Sydney with occasional flowers being found at other times of the year.
The leaves are 30-40mm long by plus/minus 4mm wide and narrow elliptical to
elliptical in shape. Leaf margins are entire.
Diagnosis:
Crowea 'Festival' can be distinguished from C. saligna as the
leaves, even though of a similar shape to C. saligna, are smaller. C.
saligna and Crowea 'Festival' have narrow elliptical to elliptical leaves
30-40mm long by plus/minus 4mm wide. C. saligna has very distinct angular
branches, to the point of being "winged". C. exalata has just discernable
angular branches. C. 'Festival' has branches similar to C. exalata. Colour
forms similar to this cultivar can be found in both C. exalata and C.
saligna. However, propagation of these species can be difficult at times.
Crowea 'Festival' propagates readily in a few weeks, giving a good
percentage strike. This cultivar must be grown by vegetative means to
preserve the form. It readily accepts heavy pruning and is a good
cutflower.
Comparators:
C. exalata NBG 002905; C. saligna NBG 008963; NBG
0022782; NBG 009372; NBG 023972
Grevillea 'Jelly Baby'
Thought to be a hybrid between the Grevillea alpina
type form from the Black Range in Victoria and G. lavandulacea Tanunda
form. Unlike G. lavandulacea has broad soft oval leaves and has the large
flowers of G. alpina but the colour is bright pink-red and white.
Habit/description:
A dense, silver grey, low spreading shrub
Size:
40cms high x 1 metre in diameter.
Flower colour:pink-red and white
Flower size:
ca. 16 mm; conflorescence 30 mm.
Flowering time:
June-November in Victoria
Frost hardiness:
High
In cultivation since:
2004
Where has it been tested? Stawell, Victoria
Corymbia ficifolia 'Vermillion Blaze'
This cultivar has yellow white stamens which are consistently
longer than is usual for this species. The flower colour is more brilliant
and luminescent than other forms of the species with none of the fading
with age or rain that normally occurs. The stamens age to a dark red. The
largest flowers have an internal ring diameter of 14.5 mm and an outer ring
of 16 mm. The maximum stamen length is 0.25 mm, giving an overall diameter
of 63 mm, with a longer calyx tube. The fruits are very large and have a
pronounced hourglass shape.
Diagnosis:
Corymbia 'Vermillion Blaze' holds its flower colour much longer
than other forms of C. ficifolia and the colour is more brilliant. Both the
flowers and the fruits, while fitting within the known variations of the
species, are towards the larger end of the size scale.
Grevillea 'Tirari Blaze'
Description Small-Medium Shrub
Plant size: 1.5m (h) x 2.0m (w) Flower colour: Red Leaves:Dark green Flower size: 40 - 80mm long x 60mm wide Flowering time: Summer-Autumn Frost hardiness: High
Has the cultivar been tested: Has been tested extensively in SA and Victoria since 2001.
Note:
The Grevillea Study Group reports that it has also been sold under
the name G. trueriana 'Rosy Opal’ by another nursery.
G. 'Tirari Blaze' has much larger, redder flowers
and softer foliage than G. trueriana. G. ‘Tirari Blaze' has more compact,
redder terminal flowers and more compact habit than G. 'Long John'.
Grevillea 'Spider Mist'
Compact shrub, 2.0m (h) x 2.0m (w)
Flowers:
Perianth: Red; stamens: yellow; conflorescence 40mm x 60mm; from
July-Sept
Foliage colour:
Grey/green
Comparators:
Grevillea arenaria, Grevillea ‘Fireworks’
Reasons for distinctiveness:
Grevillea ‘Spider Mist’ is a medium compact
shrub with leaves and form similar to G. arenaria but the flowers are more
like those of G. ‘Fireworks’. Grevillea ‘Fireworks’ is a small upright
shrub to one metre.