Sorry to add another plant ID thread, but I was wondering if a couple of small shrubswhich had turned up in my garden were native or not. I don't know where they came from, but they have been there for about as long as I can remember. I don't live particularly close to any bushland, which makes me doubt that they're native, but maybe someone here has seen something similar? If I knew wether they were native or exotic, it would be a great help for me in my attempt to ID them them.
The photos (sorry that the photos are bad, it was getting really dark), both are different plants; (and the spiky thing in Photo Two's background is some kind of South African iris):
Can't help you with the identifications, Lachlan, but it's great to see the golden rule being applied: If in doubt, don't pull it out. It might be the last of its species.
Also, just because you're a long way from the nearest bushland doesn't mean a species from the bushland can't pop up in your garden. Birds & wind can carry seed long distances.
I love a plant ID challenge, but I'm afraid I can't help here either.
As with birds, a location helps a lot - at least if you're wondering if they're native or not. Unfortunately, I find IDing unusual/unknown plants in gardens almost a hopeless case as there are so many possibilities.
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
When asking for an ID you should give as much info as possible, not just a photo.
I was just hoping someone might recognise one or be able to tell if they were natives. I thought asking for an ID of a random native plant would be pushing it too far.
The area I live in was once Cumberland Plain Woodland (with heavy clay soil and moderate frosts), and there are still the odd remnants of it around, but most of the area is a pastoral landscape now or suburbia... One thought I did have for Plant 2 was some type of Indigofera, probably Indigofera australis:
http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/uploads//Our%20Resources%20-%20pdfs/florabank-fact-sheets-2011/Indigofera_australis.pdf
I hadn't thought about the seeds coming in by bird... Obvious really, now I think about it, as there are two large Eucalypts in my yard that get lots passing through.
Do you have a large (solely) plant nursery nearby Lachlan - not like a "chain with a name" one, but perhaps a long standing family business type? Sometimes if you take a flowering branch in, staff there can help with ID - if they propagate their own, quite often they'll have a horticulturalist or two around as well. Just a thought.
West Coast Tasmania
Lachlan, no. 2 isn't Australian Indigo Indigo australis which is in the FABACEAE family & has a pea-shaped flower.
AnnieJ's idea of taking a sample to your local nursery might bear fruit. Also, your local landcare group, environmental group or council environment officer might be able to help.
Ok, thanks for the heads up. The search will continue, I guess. Maybe I'll take a trip over to Heathcote and see if the Native nursery there can tell me anything. Most of the local nurseries are chains or focus on exotics.
First one looks like Nandina domestica.
Thanks, Zosterops, that looks like the sort of thing it is. It produces red berries too, just like in the photos on the internet.
London to a brick that those red berries are food for birds which then crap the seeds into areas where the plant becomes invasive. One to get rid of using minimum disturbance techniques, I'd suggest.
It's nice foliage... Can't find anything else that will grow where it is. I'll just cut the berries off wehn they start forming.
It's interesting, the berries don't seem to interest my local birdlife.
And when you leave the scene who will continue the berry cutting, Lachlan? I' m surprised there are no indigenous plant species to replace what is almost certainly a danger to the natural environment. I'm happy to try to hunt down species names if you give me some information about location, aspect & what sort of plant you'd accept as a replacement.
I've seen my namesake feeding on the berries. The plant is also regarded as an environmental weed in some districts, though there are sterile ornamental cultivars available (yours appears to be the wild form).
http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Nandina_domestica.htm
Second looks like Indigofera decora.
Thanks for that Zosterops, that looks pretty much like it. I'll think about pulling the Nandina up as it sounds like a really nasty weed. I've got a nice Isopogon that can go there instead!