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List of indigenous ground covers and wildflowers

The following is a list of indigenous ground covers and wildflowers that are available for purchase at the Community Nursery. Please note that the stock of many species is highly variable and subject to sell out at short notice.  Helpful nursery staff are available during nursery open hours to provide advice on selecting plants for your garden.

Table key

The table below uses letters to denote the type of environment the species are suited to:

  • A plants are adaptable, growing well in most soil types and aspects
  • C plants are for coast – dune scrub and woodland
  • D plants prefer dry, well-drained soils and tolerates dryness once established
  • S plants prefer or tolerate full shade
  • H plants prefer heath or woodland
  • W plants prefer or tolerate moist soils, wetness and periodic inundation

Please note, all indigenous plants provide habitat and food for local birds, insects and other native animals.

Species name Common name Mature size range (HxW) Key  
Acaena novae-zelandiae Bidgee-widgee Prostrate 1m x 4m CSA  
Actites megalocarpus       Dune Thistle 10cm x 60cm C  
Acrotriche serrulata Honey-pots 10–30cm x 30cm–1m HD  
Amperea xiphoclada Broom Spurge 30–80cm x 40–50cm HD  
Apium prostratum ssp prostratum Sea Celery 5–30cm x 1–2m CW  
Arthropodium strictum Chocolate Lily 20cm–1.2m x 20–80cm HA  
Bossiaea prostrata Creeping Bossiaea Prostrate 50cm x 1.5m HD  
Brachyscome parvula Coast Daisy 10–45cm x 1–2m CW  
Burchardia umbellata Milkmaids 20–65cm x 12cm HDW  
Carpobrotus rossii Karkalla Prostrate 2–3m CD  
Chrysocephalum apiculatum Common Everlasting Prostrate 20cm x 1–2m HD  
Coronidium scorpioides Button Everlasting 20–30cm x 20–30cm HD  
Dichondra repens Kidney-weed Prostrate x 1–2m HCA  
Disphyma crassifolium Rounded Noon-flower Prostrate x 1–2m CA  
Einadia nutans Nodding Saltbush 30cm–1.5m x 50cm–2m HCDA  
Frankenia pauciflora Southern Sea-heath Prostrate 30cm x 30cm–1m CD  
Geranium solanderi Austral Cranesbill Prostrate 50cm x 60cm–1.5m HA  
Gonocarpus tetragynus Poverty Raspwort 10–30cm x 20–40cm HA  
Goodenia geniculata Bent Goodenia 5–10cm x 10–50cm HA  
Hibbertia acicularis Prickly Guinea-flower Prostate 30cm x 30–60cm HD  
Hydrocotyle laxiflora        Stinking Pennywort   Prostrate H 10 - 40 cm x W 1.0 - 2.0 m W  
Isotoma fluviatilis ssp australis  Swamp Isotome Prostrate W to 1m W  
Kennedia prostrata Running Postman Prostrate 1–2.5m HCD  
Lagenophora stipitata Common Bottle-daisy 5–25cm x 10cm HCA  
Laxmannia orientalis Dwarf Wire Lily 2–15cm x 5–15cm HD  
Lobelia anceps Angled Lobelia Prostrate 30cm x 30cm–1m HW  
Lobelia pratioides Poison Lobelia Prostrate 30cm x 50cm–1.5m HW  
Opercularia ovata Broad-leaf Stinkweed 15cm x 5–30cm HA  
Opercularia varia Variable Stinkweed    25cm x 35cm HDS  
Pelargonium australe Austral Stork’s-bill 30–60cm x 30cm–1m CA  
Pelargonium inodorum Kopata 5–35cm x 30–70cm HA  
Pimelea humilis Common Rice-flower 10–50cm x 30cm–1m HA  
Platylobium obtusangulum Common Flat-pea 60cm–1m x 60cm–1.8 HD  
Platysace heterophylla Slender Platysace 20–35cm x 30–60cm HDW  
Sarcocornia quinqueflora ssp. quinqueflora Beaded Glasswort or Samphire  Prostrate 30cm x 30cm–1m CW  
Selliera radicans Shiny Swamp-mat Prostrate 4cm x 1–1.5m CW  
Stylidium graminifolium Grass Trigger-plant 20–75cm x 10–50cm HDW  
Tetragonia implexicoma Bower Spinach  Prostrate 1m x 2–5m CA  
Tetragonia tetragonioides New Zealand Spinach Prostrate 20cm x 1–1.5m CA  
Viola hederacea Ivy-leaf or Native violet Prostrate 15cm x 1–2m HCWS