Indigenous plants

Indigenous plants, including grasses

Indigenous plants are native plants that occur naturally in an area.

The benefit of growing local plants are that they:

  • are suited to our local soil and climate
  • provide food and shelter for local wildlife
  • are low maintenance
  • thrive without watering once established
  • thrive without fertilisers
  • have greater resistance to disease
  • grow quickly and often flower within the first season of planting
  • can strengthen local wildlife corridors.

Download the Kingston Indigenous Plant Guide(PDF, 3MB) for information and photos of 80 common indigenous garden plants, or view the list of common Indigenous plants in Kingston below.

Large Trees

Species name Common name Soil types Height (m) Width (m) Habitat value Sunlight conditions
Banksia integrifolia Coastal Banksia coastal 10-20 5-10 birds, butterflies, mammals full sun
Eucalyptus camaldulensis River Red Gum heavy wet 12-30 15-20 birds, insects, mammals full sun
Eucalyptus melliodora Yellow Box dry sandy 10-20 8-20 birds, butterflies, insects, mammals full sun, semi shade
Eucalyptus ovata Swamp Gum heavy wet 8-20 8-20 birds, butterflies, insects, mammals full sun, semi shade
Eucalyptus radiata Narrow-leaf Peppermint dry sandy 10-15 6-10 birds, butterflies, insects, mammals full sun, semi shade
Eucalyptus viminalis ssp pryoriana Coastal Manna Gum dry sandy 8-16 5-12 birds, insects, mammals full sun

Small and Medium Trees

Species name Common name Soil types Height (m) Width (m) Habitat value Sunlight conditions
Acacia implexa Lightwood adaptable 5-8 2-3 birds, butterflies, mammals full sun, semi shade
Acacia mearnsii Black Wattle dry sandy 6-10 6-10 birds, insects full sun, semi shade
Acacia melanoxylon Blackwood heavy wet 5-10 4-6 birds, butterflies, mammals full sun, semi shade
Allocasuarina littoralis Black She-oak dry sandy 4-8 2-5 birds, mammals full sun, semi shade
Allocasuarina verticillata Drooping Sheoke dry sandy, coastal 4-11 3-6 birds, butterflies, insects full sun
Banksia marginata Silver Banksia adaptable 4-6 1-3 birds, butterflies, mammals full sun, semi shade
Bursaria spinosa Sweet Bursaria adaptable 4-6 2-4 birds, butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Eucalyptus pauciflora Snow Gum dry sandy 5-10 6-10 birds, butterflies, insects, mammals full sun, semi shade
Leptospermum laevigatum Coastal Tea-tree coastal 2-8 2-4 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Melaleuca ericifolia  Swamp Paperbark  adaptable  2-7   2-3  birds, butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade 

Medium and Large Shrubs

Species name Common name Soil types Height (m) Width (m) Habitat value Sunlight conditions
Acacia oxycedrus Spike Wattle dry sandy 1-3 1-2 birds full sun, full shade
Acacia paradoxa Hedge Wattle adaptable, coastal 2-4 2-5 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Acacia stricta Hop Wattle heavy wet 2-5 2-4 butterflies full sun, full shade
Acacia suaveolens Sweet Wattle dry sandy 1-3 2-5 birds full sun, semi shade
Acacia verticillata Prickly Moses adaptable 2-4 2-3 birds, butterflies, mammals semi shade
Cassinia aculeata Common Cassinia adaptable 2-4 1-2 butterflies, insects semi shade
Cassinia arcuata Drooping Cassinia dry sandy 1-3 1-2 butterflies full sun, semi shade
Hakea nodosa Yellow Hakea adaptable, coastal 1-3 1-2 birds, butterflies, mammals full sun, full shade
 Kunzea leptospermoides Yarra Burgan   adaptable  2-5 2-4   butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade 
Leptospermum continentale Prickly Tea-tree heavy wet 1-4 1-2 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Leptospermum myrsinoides Heath Tea-tree dry sandy 1-2.5 1 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Myoporum insulare Common Boobialla coastal 2-5 3-6 birds, butterflies full sun
Ozothamnus ferrugineus Tree Everlasting adaptable 2-6 1-3 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Solanum laciniatum Kangaroo Apple dry sandy, coastal 1-3 1-3 birds, mammals full sun, semi shade
Viminaria juncea Golden Spray heavy wet 1.5-5 1-2.5 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade

Small Shrubs

Species name Common name Soil types Height (m) Width (m) Habitat value Sunlight conditions
Allocasuarina paradoxa Green She-oak dry sandy 0.5-2 1-2 birds, insects full sun, semi shade
Atriplex cinerea Grey Saltbush dry sandy, coastal 1-2 2-3 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Bossiaea cinerea Showy Bossiaea dry sandy 1-2 1-2 insects, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Correa alba White Correa coastal 0.5-2.0 1-3 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Correa reflexa Common Correa adaptable 0.3-2.0 1-2 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Epacris impressa Common Heath moist well drained 0.5-1.5 0.2-0.6 birds, bees, butterflies, insects full sun
Goodenia ovata Hop Goodenia coastal 1-2 1-3 birds, butterflies full sun, full shade
Indigofera australis Australian Indigo adaptable 1-2 1-2 birds, butterflies full sun, full shade
Leucophyta brownii Cushion Bush coastal 0.2-1.0 0.5-2.0 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun, semi shade
Leucopogon virgatus Common Beard-heath dry sandy 0.3-1.0 0.2-0.6 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Olearia axillaris Coast Daisy-bush coastal 1-2 1-2 butterflies, insects full sun
Olearia ramulosa Twiggy Daisy-bush heavy wet, coastal 0.5-2.0 1 butterflies, insects semi shade
Rhagodia candolleana Seaberry Saltbush coastal 2 1.0-2.5 birds, insects, lizards, mammals full sun, semi shade

Graminoids, Lilies and Irises

Species name Common name Soil types Height (m) Width (m) Habitat value Sunlight conditions
Arthropodium milleflorum Vanilla Lily dry sandy 0.3-1.3 0.3 bees full sun, semi shade
Arthropodium strictum Chocolate Lily adaptable 1 0.5 butterflies, lizards full sun, semi shade
Austrostipa flavescens Coast Spear-grass dry sandy, coastal 1-2 0.7 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun, semi shade
Austrostipa mollis Soft Spear-grass dry sandy 0.6-1.5 0.5-0.75 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun, semi shade
Austrostipa stipoides Prickly Spear-grass heavy wet, coastal 0.8-1.5 0.8-1.5 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun
Carex appressa Tall Sedge heavy wet 0.5-1.2 0.5-1 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Dianella brevicaulis Small-flower Flax-lily coastal 0.5-0.9 0.6-0.9 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun, semi shade
Dianella admixta Spreading Flax-lily adaptable, dry sandy 0.3-0.8 spreading birds, butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Dichelachne crinita Longhair Plume Grass moist well drained 0.5-1.0 0.2-0.3 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun, semi shade
Distichlis distichophylla Australian Salt-grass adaptable, moist, wetland 0.1-0.2 spreading birds, butterflies, insects, lizards full sun
Eleocharis acuta Common Spike-rush moist, wetland 0.3-0.9 spreading frogs full sun
Eragrostis brownii Common Love-grass adaptable 0.40 0.3 frogs full sun, semi shade
Ficinia nodosa Knobby Club-rush coastal 0.5-1.5 0.6-2.0 birds, butterflies, lizards, frogs full sun semi shade
Juncus pallidus Pale Rush heavy wet 0.5-2.0 0.3-1.0 birds, butterflies, lizards, frogs full sun, semi shade
Lomandra filiformis Wattle Mat-rush dry sandy 0.5 0.2 birds, butterflies, lizards, frogs full sun, semi shade
Lomandra longifolia Spiny-headed Mat-rush adaptable, coastal 0.9-1.2 1-1.2 birds, butterflies, lizards full sun, semi shade
Microlaena stipoides Weeping Grass dry sandy, heavy wet 0.3-1.0 0.5 birds, butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Patersonia occidentalis Long Purple-flag dry sandy, heavy wet 0.2-0.4 0.3-0.6 birds, butterflies, lizards, frogs full sun, semi shade
Poa labillardierei Common Tussock-grass dry sandy, heavy wet 0.3-1.5 0.3-0.5 birds, butterflies, lizards full sun, semi shade
Poa sieberiana Grey Tussock Grass dry sandy 0.5-0.8 0.3-1 birds, butterflies, lizards, frogs full sun, semi shade
Rytidosperma fulvum Wallaby Grass heavy wet 0.8-1 0.2-0.3 birds, insects full sun, semi shade
Rytidosperma geniculatum Kneed Wallaby-grass adaptable 0.2-0.4 0.2 birds, insects full sun, semi shade
Rytidosperma racemosum Clustered Wallaby-grass dry sandy 0.1-0.8 0.8 birds, insects full sun, semi shade
Rytidosperma setaceum Bristly Wallaby Grass adaptable 0.6-0.7 0.4 birds, insects full sun, semi shade
Themeda triandra Kangaroo Grass heavy wet 0.5-0.9 0.75 birds, lizards full sun, semi shade

Climbers, Groundcovers and Wildflowers

Species name Common name Soil types Height (m) Width (m) Habitat value Sunlight conditions
Acaena novae-zelandiae Bidgee-widgee adaptable, coastal prostrate 1-4 birds, lizards full sun, full shade
Amperea xiphoclada Broom Spurge moist well drained, coastal 0.3-0.8 0.4-0.5 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Billardiera mutabilis Common Apple-berry adaptable, dry sandy climber 1-3 birds, butterflies full sun, full shade
Carpobrotus rossii Karkalla dry sandy, coastal prostrate 1-3 bees, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Centella cordifolia Centella adaptable, wetland 0.5-1.0 0.5-2.0 insects, lizards full sun, semi shade
Chrysocephalum apiculatum Common Everlasting adaptable prostrate 1-2 butterflies full sun
Clematis microphylla Small-leaved Clematis dry sandy, coastal climber 5 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Dichondra repens Kidney Weed adaptable prostrate 1-2 insects, lizards, frogs semi shade, full shade
Disphyma crassifolium Rounded Noon-flower coastal prostrate 1-2 butterflies, insects full sun
Einadia nutans Nodding Saltbush  adaptable, coastal  prostrate   1-2 birds, butterflies, insects, lizards   full sun, semi shade
Gonocarpus tetragynus Common Raspwort adaptable 0.1-0.3 0.2-0.4 bees, butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Hardenbergia violacea Purple Coral-pea dry sandy, coastal climber 6 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Kennedia prostrata Running Postman dry sandy, coastal prostrate 1-2.5 birds, butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Myoporum parvifolium Creeping Boobialla adaptable, coastal 0.1-0.2 1.5-3.0 birds, butterflies full sun, semi shade
Pelargonium australe Austral Stork's Bill dry sandy, coastal 0.3-0.6 0.3-1 butterflies, insects full sun, semi shade
Pimelea humilis Common Rice-flower adaptable 0.2-0.5 0.5-1.0 butterflies full sun, semi shade
Selliera radicans Shiny Swamp-mat coastal, wetland prostrate 0.5-1.0 butterflies, birds full sun, full shade
Tetragonia implexicoma Bower Spinach coastal prostrate 2 birds, lizards full sun, semi shade
Villarsia reniformis Running Marsh-flower wetland 0.4 0.5-1.0 frogs semi shade, full shade
Viola hederacea Native Violet heavy wet prostrate 1-2 butterflies, insects full sun, full shade
Wahlenbergia communis Tufted Bluebell moist well drained 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 bees, birds, butterflies, lizards full sun, semi shade

Soil types key

  • Adaptable – plants that tolerate different soil types and can grow in most local soils
  • Coastal – plants that generally prefer dry sandy soil but can also tolerate salt spray and low nutrient coastal soils
  • Dry sandy – plants that prefer well drained sandy soils
  • Heavy wet – plants that prefer moist heavy soils (higher clay content)
  • Moist well drained – plants that prefer moist well drained soils (higher sand content)
  • Wetland – plants that are typically found in wetland areas and can tolerate inundation

Local Indigenous Plant Nurseries

Bayside Community Nursery
315–317 Reserve Road, Cheltenham

Carrum Indigenous Nursery
Learmonth Reserve, Thompson Rd &, Learmonth Rd, Patterson Lakes

Conservation Collective
52 Westernport Highway, Somerville

Diaco's Garden Nursery
190 Old Dandenong Rd, Heatherton
360 Wooralla Dr, Mornington

Greenlink Sandbelt Nursery
587 Heatherton Rd. Clayton South

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