Yesterday I was out and about before work in the cool morning after some rain during the night. In one spot, I added some tiny saltbush to continue closing the gap between established plants and a pathway.
On the other side of the path, the same process. I gave these some little sticks in honour of the neighbour who lives nearest. He approves of the planting and thinks sticks help. I am never entirely sure–sometimes they just attract unwanted attention.
A tree was felled here just recently and the predecessors of these boobiallas were taken out in the hubbub. I have been unsure how long to wait to discover whether the trunk of this massive ironbark will be collected. While the canopy of the tree was taken away after it was felled (over two days)… the trunk is lying there and has been for some time now. The longer I leave it, the smaller the chance of preventing parking on this area will become for the year ahead. meanwhile the truck is stopping bike and foot traffic through this patch, which creates an opportunity for plants to grow undisturbed.
The tree had died, and since heavy machinery was parked on its root zone right up to the trunk for two years, I have to say parking might be part of what killed this tree and the one that used to stand beside it. Perhaps I am wrong–but this made me more inclined to plant and try to fend off more soil compaction here.
A few more ground covers facing the road where some were lost in the flood. In case you might think there is no progress, look at the size of these ruby saltbush planted in the last year, on the same site.
Then, some weeding. The last thing I want is for the poisoner to take out these little plants unawares while poisoning the weeds. Then I went round to the new site by the culvert and weeded there. The unidentified plant is doing well and flowering. It is not curry plant. That really is what my parents have in their front garden, and there are similarities. But the smell is really distinctive, and missing here. All clues accepted, dear readers!
On one small saltbush, I found these little critters. I hope they won’t take too much… I was rather charmed to find signs of life in this unpromising spot, personally.
And then home again with weeds galore.
Local & Bespoke 
I’ve noticed that after even clear cut forestry here there are logs & trunks left along the margins. Think this is one of the discoveries made in the wake of the enormous destructive storms we had in the late 80s & early 90s. Seems to make a great difference to insect life.
I hope you have a positive outcome
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Thanks Norma! It seems to be less common in the suburbs, but in this context it would be good if the trunk was left in situ. It would help insects and plants both. I am sure there will be a positive outcome in good time, it’s only a question of how long it takes to establish enough plants in this spot to clearly communicate it isn’t available for parking. That will protect the trees as well as the smaller plants.
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Very tricky but I hope it works. I’ll be interested in your updates.
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Thanks so much, Norma!
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I hope it works
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me too!
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Are the leaves of the unknown plant fleshy like a succulent or tougher, more like rosemary? If the first, I thought it might be related to a delosperma (ice plant)? The buds look vaguely thistle-like, but the leaves don’t….
There, wasn’t that helpful – ha???
: )
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Could it be Australian Fireweed? There seem to be native and introduced versions.
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Well, I think we’re agreed it is in the family compositae, which doesn’t narrow it down much. Fireweed… I think you mean the senecio family. Which makes some sense. I’ve made a start with google and then Weeds of the South-East and Plants of the Adelaide Plains and Hills.
There are no visible-to-the-naked-eye petals, which rules out a lot of senecio options. It isn’t the main thing referred to as fireweed: Senecio madagascariensis (which is good, as that is a weed of national significance). The no petals thing also rules out Senecio pinnatifolius (native) and Senecio brigalowensis (native) which are native to Qld–you never know where they have travelled though. I checked through the senecios in It’s Blue with Five Petals: Wildflowers of the Adelaide Region, and saw nothing that really looks close (she covers natives and feral species). More pictures coming, We will figure this out!
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They are tougher, like rosemary. I think it isn’t an iceplant family plant… it isn’t at all succulent like iceplant. The buds are not entirely thistle-like–they don’t have any protruding petals, for instance, but they are composite, for sure, which is a shared feature. Well–it’s always helpful to have other minds on the job… you never know which question triggers the crucial thought or observation!
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Mmmm. I’ve just dragged out my copy of Plants of Western NSW, a go to for the hinterlands and covers weeds et al. Just looking at potential targets ‘without petals’, I have come up with Gnaphalium (cudweed), or Ambrosia sp (ragweed, largely introduced species) and an outsid chance called Minuria sp (outside because it says they have tiny petals). How big is the plant at this stage?
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Thanks! I think it looks a good deal like Gnaphalium affine (Jersey Cudweed) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnaphalium_affine
Which grows 15-40 cm high. I would say these are 30-40c cm high at present. It doesn’t look like any of the ragweeds I can find (they all have complex leaf structures, this has something closer to rosemary). The flower structure seems different too. The images I can find of minuria shows small daisy flowers. These are not even as open as that. I think Gnaphalium is a promising line of inquiry, and I’ll take my books down to the site some days oon. Thanks a bunch!
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