Page 65 - Tropic Magazine Issue 29

TROPIC • GARDENING

Blossoming trees

TROPICAL PLANTS Crepe myrtles
Lagerstroemia indica
Spectacular flowering trees Smaller species are great for small
can really light up a front yard gardens. Indian Summer cultivars are
and there are some beauties suited to the tropics and as the name
suggests, they flower during summer.
to choose from in FNQ. Tropic These trees are partly deciduous, however
asked globally renowned, they have an attractive bark so they look
award-winning landscape good even without leaves. A wide range
architect and horticulturalist of colours are available. I’ve been using
them as a feature trees in the Botanica
Andrew Prowse to narrow Lifestyle Village at Caravonica.
down his favourites.

Smouldering Red Gum
Corymbia ficifolia
This is a locally developed cultivar which
is a cross between the local Swamp
Bloodwood (Corymbia ptychocarpa) and
the West Australian Red Flowering Gum
(Corymbia ficifolia). It has huge clusters of
deep red flowers.
Banksias
A smallish native tree which is a bit
underutilised in our gardens here. There
Golden Penda are species suitable for the tropics, such
Xanthostemon chrysanthus as the Swamp Banksia (Banksia robur)
Cairns’ floral emblem has clusters of and the Tropical Banksia (Banksia dentata)
flowers that are an unusual chartreuse which is not often available in nurseries,
yellow colour. It’s naturally quite bushy but worth keeping an eye out for.
and so it’s a good screening plant. There Banksias are great for birds and I love the
are a variety of Pendas ranging from sculptural shapes.
Bloomfield Penda, a bush with cream
flowers, to Trailblazer, a very striking MORE: prowse.com.au
small cultivar of Golden Penda with gold Yellow Saracca
variegated leaves. Pendas can flower Saraca thaipingensis
several times a year. This Southeast Asian tree flowers on the
tree trunk and branches, giving the effect CHECK OUT
Ivory Curl Tree of golden pom-poms up and down the Newly-opened Watergardens
Buckinghamia celsissima trunk and stems. Native butterflies and Nursery at Smithfield.
This tree puts on a spectacular shower birds love the flowers. The new leaves A local, family-owned venture run by
when it’s covered in cream flowers. come out a purplish colour, drooping Adam Griffiths and Monica Suhrbier,
Like the Golden Penda it’s local to the down similar in effect to our native Silk who sell everything from
rainforests of North Queensland but Handkerchief Tree (Maniltoa lenticellata) – cordylines and crotons to
flowers later in the year through summer. another favourite. pots, hanging baskets and
water features.

65 • tropicnow.com.au