Author: Stephen Ryan
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Disterigma alaternoides
I have only met this plant recently as a struck cutting I bought at the AGM auction of Plant Trust an important organisation that registers plant collections. I have only had it a couple of years and it has been a winner in every respect as far as I am concerned. It is a neotropical
Stephen Ryan
Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’
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
Stephen Ryan
Araucaria angustifolia
This amazing evergreen conifer is native to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and is rarely offered in Australia. It is commonly called the Candelabra Tree or Parana Pine.It will grow quite quickly in an open sunny site and you only have to look at the picture I have included of the tree planted in the Melbourne
Stephen Ryan
Danae racemosa
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
Stephen Ryan
Viburnum plicatum ‘Grandiflorum’
An oldie but a goodie! Over the years more and more cultivars of this species have hit the market and many are great plants in their own right. However I don’t think any are an improvement on this the Japanese Snowball. This is a deciduous shrub to 2metres with branches in flat layers that alway
Stephen Ryan
Cydonia sinensis
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
Stephen Ryan
Oxalis melanosticta
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
Stephen Ryan
Halimium ocymoides
A very useful evergrey ground cover shrub to about 60cms. tall by 1.5metres wide for a sunny well drained aspect. It comes from the Mediterranean area and so is ideally suited for our climate in southern Australia. In spring it is covered with bright yellow Cistus type flowers (it may well end up being a
Stephen Ryan
Pinus patula
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
Stephen Ryan
Euhttps://stephenryan.com.au/wp-admin/update-core.phponymus fortunei radicans
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
Stephen Ryan