Category Archives: drought tolerant

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  Brachyglottis repanda

  Posted on August 8, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, perfumed, shade tolerant, Shrubs, winter interest

  I have a great love of this evergreen shrub from New Zealand for several reasons. Firstly it is a first rate foliage plant with huge soft green leaves with a felty white reverse. secondly it is fairly cold tolerant but looks tropical, Thirdly it grows well in semi-shade and is comparatively drought tolerant and lastly […]

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  Macropiper excelsum

  Posted on July 14, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, shade tolerant, Shrubs, winter interest

  The New Zealand Pepper Bush is rarely grown in Australia but should be seen more. It has lovely heart shaped glossy green leaves on a dense bush to 3m tall and although the flowers aren’t particularly showy the green bullet shaped flower heads are interesting and add to the overall effect. the fact that it […]

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  Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’

  Posted on April 26, 2017 by stephenryan in autumn colour, berries, Climbing plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Ground cover, shade tolerant, Shrubs, winter interest

  This has to be one of the most indestructible plants that I grow and although it is common it the U.S. and Europe is for some reason rarely offered in Australia. It is evergreen and its foliage will turn fabulous colours in winter if it is in enough cold and even if it doesn’t colour […]

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  Danae racemosa

  Posted on April 17, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Ground cover, Perennials, shade tolerant, winter interest

  This slow growing evergreen plant from South West Asia to Iran has long been on my want list and over the last few years it has come my way as it should come yours! It is called Poet’s Laurel or Alexandrian Laurel and is in fact the plant used to make the wreaths that crowned […]

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  Cydonia sinensis

  Posted on April 6, 2017 by stephenryan in autumn colour, beautiful bark, Collector Plants, Deciduous, drought tolerant, Edible, Foliage plants, shade trees, Trees, winter interest

  The  Chinese Quince that was until recently called Pseudocydonia has to be one of the best small trees you could have! It has attractive deep pink flowers in mid spring followed by large oblong yellow fruit in summer that is by the way edible, then the foliage turns stunning colours in autumn and as if that wasn’t […]

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  Oxalis melanosticta

  Posted on March 31, 2017 by stephenryan in autumn colour, bulbs, Collector Plants, drought tolerant, Foliage plants, Ground cover, winter interest

  I love the autumn because the winter growing Oxalis suddenly start to erupt out of the ground and yes I know that includes the weedy ones but with so many species in the Genus (some hundreds apparently) they can’t all be weeds obviously. One of the early ones is this lovely yellow flowered African species […]

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  Pinus patula

  Posted on March 28, 2017 by stephenryan in beautiful bark, conifer, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, shade trees, winter interest

  The Mexican pine has to be one of the most elegant species that you could grow as a specimen tree in a fair sized lawn and it is cold hardy (at least in Australia) and heat and drought tolerant as well. It will quickly grow to 20metres or so and its tassel like needles hanging […]

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  Euhttp://stephenryan.com.au/wp-admin/update-core.phponymus fortunei radicans

  Posted on March 22, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Ground cover, shade tolerant

  Euonymus fortunei from Asia is a remarkably hardy and incredibly diverse species including trailing ground covers, climbers and even quite large shrubs. In the case of variety radicans it is a bit of a trailing ground cover that will also climb up any suitable surface and in both instances it is a light open plant […]

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  Greyia sutherlandii

  Posted on September 23, 2016 by stephenryan in bird attracting, Collector Plants, drought tolerant, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Shrubs

  This hardy South African shrub grows to about 3metres over time, is deciduous in colder climates and has its spikes of brilliant red flowers for months during the spring. The leaves are large and bright green looking very like those of a zonal pelargonium, what some would still call a geranium. The shrub itself has […]

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  Halimium ocymoides

  Posted on August 5, 2016 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Ground cover, Shrubs, winter interest

  This may or may not stay as a Halimium as I have heard that it may be dumped into Cistus which does seem logical. What ever it is it is a great evergreen  (or perhaps evergrey) ground cover shrub for a sunny well drained site. It will grow to about 60cms. tall by up to […]

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