Best trees to plant in the Midlands and Upper Northeast

Climbers

Best climbers for the Midlands and Upper Northeast region
Botanical name Mature size
H x W
Tolerates Special uses Common name
Clematis microphylla Climber
  • Sand
  • Clay
Small-leaved Clematis

Ground cover

Best ground cover for the Midlands and Upper Northeast region
Botanical name Mature size
H x W
Tolerates Special uses Common name
Convolvulus erubescens Matures to 3m
  • Clay
Pink Bindweed
Einadia nutans Matures to 3m
  • Clay
  • Fencing
  • Firebreak
  • Soil erosion control
Nodding Saltbush
Kennedia prostata Matures to 3m
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
Running Postman
Microlaena stipoides 40cm x 3m
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Food source
  • Light grazing
  • Soil erosion control
Weeping Grass

Herbaceous perennials

Best herbaceous perennials for the Midlands and Upper Northeast region
Botanical name Mature size
H x W
Tolerates Special uses Common name
Chrysocephalum apiculatum 20cm x 1m
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
Common Everlasting
Chrysocephalum semipapposum 80cm x 50cm
  • Salt
Clustered Everlasting
Comesperma ericinum  80cm x 1.5m
  • Clay
  • Sand
  • Frost
  Heath Monkwort
Wahlenbergia stricta  80cm x 30cm
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Soil erosion control
Tall Bluebell

Shrubs

Best shrubs for the Midlands and Upper Northeast region
Botanical name Mature size
H x W
Tolerates Special uses Common name
Acacia acinacea 2m x 2m
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Windbreak
Gold Dust Wattle
Acacia aspera  2m x 3m
  • Frost
  Rough Wattle  
Acacia genistifolia  1.5m x 1m
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
Spreading Wattle
Acacia lanigera  1.5m x 2m
  • Frost
  • Soil erosion control
  • Windbreak
Woolly Wattle  
Banksia marginata  2.5m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Sand
  • Honey production
  • Windbreak
Silver Banksia  
Billardiera scandens  1.5m x 1.5m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
Common Apple Berry 
Bursaria spinosa  3m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat 
  • Soil erosion control 
  • Windbreak  
Sweet Bursaria  
Callistemon sieberi  3m x 3m
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Soil erosion control 
  • Windbreak  

River Bottlebrush  
Calytrix tetragona  2m x 2m
  • Sand
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Wndbreak
Common Fringe-myrtle  
Cassinia longifolia   3m x 3m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Windbreak
 Shiny Cassinia  
Correa glabra   3m x 3m 
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Frost

 

 Rock Correa  
Correa reflexa   1.5m x 1m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Attractive to bees
 Native Fuchsia  
Dodonaea viscosa   4m x 3m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
  • Windbreak
 Wedge-leaf Hop-bush  
Dodonea triquetra   2–4m x 1.3m       Large-leaf Hop-bush  
Enchylaena tomentosa 
 40cm x 1m 
  • Clay
  • Salt
  • Frost
  • Fencing
 Ruby Saltbush  
Eriostemon verrucosus   1m x 1m 
  • Frost
   Fairy Wax-flower  
Goodenia ovata 
 2m x 2m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Cut flower production
  • Firebreak
  • Windbreak
 Hop Goodenia  
Goodia lotifolia   3m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Windbreak
 Golden Tip  
Grevillea alpina   1.5m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
  • Windbreak
 Cat’s Claw  
Grevillea dryophylla 
 2m x 2m 
  • Frost
  • Windbreak
 Goldfields Grevillea  
Grevillea victoriae 
 3m x 2.5m 
  • Frost
   Royal Grevillea  
Hakea decurrens 
 2.5m x 2m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
  • Soil erosion control
  • Windbreak
 Bushy Needlewood  
Indigofera australis 
 2m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Windbreak
 Austral Indigo  
Leptospermum myrsinoides   2m x 2m 
  • Sand
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Soil erosion control
  • Windbreak
 Heath Tea-tree  
Lomatia ilicifolia 
 2m x 1m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
 Holly Lomatia  
Melaleuca decussata 
 3m x 3m 
  • Sand
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Firewood
  • Windbreak
 Totem-poles   
Olearia lirata 
 3m x 2m 
  • Clay
   Snowy Daisy Bush 
Ozothamnus obcordatus   2m x 1m 
  • Clay
  • Cut flower production
 Grey Everlasting  
Platylobium obtusangulum 
 1m x 1m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
   Common Flat-pea  
Pomaderris racemosa   3m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Windbreak
 Slender Pomaderris  
Prostanthera rotundifolia 
 2.5m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
   Round-leaved Mint-bush  
Pultenaea daphnoides   2.5m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
   Large-leaf Bush-pea  
Putlenaea gunnii 
 2m x 1m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
 Golden Bush-pea  
Rhagodia spinescens 
 1m x 2.5m 
  • Clay
  • Salt
  • Frost
  • Food source
  • Soil erosion control
 Hedge Salt Bush 
Solanum laciniatum 
 2m x 3m 
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Bird habitat
 Cut-leaf Kangaroo Apple 
Spyridium parvifolium   3m x 2m 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Windbreak
 Australian Dusty Miller 
Viminaria juncea 
 3m x 2m 
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Salt
  • Water
   Golden Spray  

Tufted perennials

Best tufted perennials for the Midlands and Upper North East region
Botanical name Mature size
H x W
Tolerates Special uses Common name
Agrostis avenacea 60cm x 50cm
  • Clay
  • Honey production
Common Blown Grass
Bothriochloa macra 40cmm x 30cm
  • Clay
  • Firebreak
  • Food source
Red-leg Grass
 Carex appressa   1m x 1m 
  • Clay
  • Water
   Tall Sedge
Carex inversa 30cm x 50cm
  • Clay
  • Water
Knob Sedge
Carex tereticaulis 1m x 1m
  • Clay
  • Water
Common Sedge
 Chionochloa pallida   1.5m x 50cm      Silvertop Wallaby-grass  
Danthonia Austrodanthonia spp. 80cm x 20cm
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Food source
Wallaby Grasses
Dianella spp. 60cm x 1.5m
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Animal habitat
Black-anther Lily-flax
Eleocharis acuta 80cm x spreading
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Animal habitat
  • Bird habitat
Common Spike-sedge
Gahnia spp. 2m x 2m
  • Water
  • Bird habitat
Saw Sedge
Lepidosperma spp. 1m x 1m
  • Sand
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Bird habitat
Sword Sedge
Poa labillardieri  70cm x 1.5m 
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Frost
  • Bird habitat
  • Soil erosion control
Common Tussock-grass  
 Poa sieberiana var. sieberiana   60cm x 60cm 
  • Clay
  • Frost
   
 Stipa spp.   1m x 30cm 
  • Clay
  • Frost
  • Soil erosion control
 Spear grass
 Themeda triandra   70cm x 50cm 
  • Clay
  • Animal habitat
 Kangaroo Grass

Tolerances

Sand  - suitable to plant in deep sand  
Clay - suitable to plant in deep clays  
Salt - can withstand medium salting  
Water - tolerant of persistent waterlogging and low oxygen levels  
Frost - tolerant of frosts. Heavy frosts will harm most plants, only plant when frost is unlikely. 

Special uses 

Wind - suitable for use in windbreaks or provides wind protection.  

Fire - has characteristics that may reduce the severity of a fire, for example:

  • high water content,
  • bark that is fire resistant, or
  • dense foliage to reduce wind speed.

Dense planting of such plants near buildings can reduce the impact of a bushfire.