Friday five: Treerific natives to consider for your garden

The Illawarra is home to around 2,500 species of native plants and trees. Trees play an important role in our city – they cool our suburbs, reduce pollution manage storm water, make our natural areas beautiful and provide food and shelter for native birds and animals. That said, certain parts of Wollongong have some of the lowest tree canopy cover in New South Wales.

As the impacts of extreme weather continue, we know planting more trees and plants is something we can all do to help create a better future.

With spring approaching, and in celebration of Sunday’s National Tree Day, here are five treerific native plants to consider for your garden.

Lilly Pilly, Acmena smithii

Lilly Pilly is an appealing and versatile tree that can be found right across the Illawarra. It has distinctive dark green, shiny leaves and the new growth comes in beautiful shades of pink and red. There are a range of different varieties that are suitable for different yards. The tree fruits small berries that are edible fresh or can be cooked into jam. More info (from Growing Illawarra Natives)

Illawarra Flame Tree, Brachychiton acerifolius

The iconic Illawarra Flame Tree has brilliant masses of red flowers in spring. It is a fast-growing tree with a long lifespan, from 50 up to 150 years of age, and can tolerate a wide range of conditions. Given its size (10 to 20 metres tall), the flame is commonly seen in larger parks, car parks, streetscapes and along nature strips. It makes a good feature tree due to its attractive shape, good shade cover and seasonal colour. More info

Willow Bottlebrush, Callistemon salignus

Willow Bottlebrush grows on the Illawarra coastal plain, often in poorly drained or damp areas alongside streams. Wiseman Park in Gwynneville is a good place to spot one! This bottlebrush is a small tree, generally reaching no higher than eight metres. It has white 'bottlebrush' flowers which appear in spring or early summer. It attracts a range of wildlife, providing seeds, nectar, shelter and nesting material for birds. More info

Pink Hibiscus, Hibiscus splendens

If you’re after something a little more unique, try Pink Hibiscus which is only naturally found here in Illawarra, and only around Towradgi Creek and its streams. It grows one to three metres high and has striking pink flowers which attract insects and insect-eating birds. In gardens, it is best used as a shrub rather than a tree, as this is how it grows naturally. Planting more locally sourced Pink Hibiscus in community gardens will help its chances of survival. More info

Note:  We do offer Pink Hibiscus as part of our Greenplan Plant Sales, however it is seasonal and not currently available.

NSW Christmas Bush, Ceratopetalum gummiferum

Christmas in July, anyone? Christmas Bush is a small bushy tree which generally grows to around six metres tall. It needs a well-drained spot, is fast-growing and long-lived, and will benefit from occasional applications of fertiliser. Although its leaves are green, new growth can be pink, red or bronze coloured. Clusters of small white flowers are followed by pinkish fruits in December which create the colourful show. Christmas Bush make excellent cut 'flowers' at Christmas time. More info

If you’re having trouble deciding, check out the community-run Growing Illawarra Natives website or come along to the monthly Greenplan Native Plant Sale with a photo of the space you’re looking to fill and our team will help with recommendations. The next sale will be on Friday 18 August 2023 and there is a list of available plants here.

National Tree Day plantings – Sunday 30 July 2023

To celebrate National Tree Day, we invite the community to join us in planting native trees, shrubs and grasses at William Beach Memorial Park in Dapto and Cabbage Tree Creek in Balgownie.

Please wear enclosed footwear, long pants and sleeves, a hat and bring a water bottle. Please bring your own gardening gloves if you have them.

• William Beach Memorial Park, Brownsville
  Time: 9.30am to 10.30am
  Register: Here
• Cabbage Tree Creek behind Judy Masters Oval, Balgownie
  Time: 10.30am to 11.30am
  Register: Here