SOCIETY FOR GROWING AUSTRALIAN PLANTS

Notes on t h e i r Occurrence, C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and Cu l t iva t ion

Species: There a r e approximately 59 named spec i e s , with a t l e a s t 20 which a r e un-named.

Habitat: They a r e found only i n south west Western Aus t r a l i a , mostly confined i n s i d e a l i n e drawn from t h e Murchison River i n t h e n o r t h t o Cape Arid (160 kms e a s t of Esperance) i n t h e south.

S o i l Type Favoured: They usua l ly grow i n well d ra ined s i t u a t i o n s , mostly on l a t e r i t e though occas iona l ly on g r a n i t e o r i n deep sand. They a r e commonly seen on roadside verges , gravel r i dges and co lon i s ing gravel p i t s , almost never i n damp s i t u a t i o n s .

S i z e of P l an t s : There a r e t h r e e main c l a s s e s :

1. P r o s t r a t e and Sub Shrubs below 0.6m - about 9 2. Shrubs and Trees above 2.5m - about 13 3 . Balance l i e between 1 .0 and 2.5m, u s u a l l y a s dense, o f t e n

spreading shrubs . H o r t i c u l t u r a l Features : Both f lowers and f o l i a g e a r e a t t r a c t i v e . Most f lowers a r e yellow, al though approximately h a l f a dozen a r e red o r have shades o f r ed , pink o r orange' wi th t he yellow. A very high dens i ty of flowers along t h e stem i s a f e a t u r e o f a number of spec ies where a flower seemingly grows o u t of every l e a f a x i l , e . g . D . pa t ens , D . n o b i l i s , D . polycephala, D. s e s s i l i s , D . carduacea and D . cuneata . In o t h e r s such as D . formosa, praemorsa, f a l c a t a , c a r l i n o i d e s and q u e r c i f o l i a t h e f lowers tend t o be te rmina l , o f t e n on s h o r t branches, and a r e i d e a l f o r p ick ing . A l l Dryandras w i l l l a s t f o r two t o t h r e e weeks a s c u t flowers and many a r e e x c e l l e n t i n flower arrangements. Only one Dryandra (D. speciosa) has pendant f lowers .

The v a r i e t y o f . f o l i a g e and form wi th in Dryandras i s a s ton i sh ing . A number such a s D . nana, D . n ivea , D . p t e r i d i f o l i a and D . drummondii a r e f e r n l i k e i n t h e i r h a b i t . Others such a s D. mucronulata, D . l o n g i f o l i a and D. b a x t e r i have excep t iona l ly long, f i n e leaves ( t o 45 cms, 18"), densely crowded on t h e stem. Many of t h e remainder have r i g i d , o f t e n very p r i c k l y s e r r a t e d leaves which tend t o sof ten under garden condi t ions .

Outstandingly A t t r a c t i v e Flowers (though p l a n t s a r e not n e c e s s a r i l y easy t o grow): D. f a l c a t a , D. formosa, D. f e r rug inea , D . obtusa, D . con fe r t a , D . c a r l i n o i d e s , D . k i p p i s t i a n a , D . q u e r c i f o l i a , D . n o b i l i s , D . praemorsa (pink form), D . p ro teo ides , D . s pec iosa .

Outstanding o r Unusual P l a n t s (again p l a n t s a r e not n e c e s s a r i l y easy t o grow): D. polycephala, D. pa tens , D. n o b i l i s , D . n ivea (some forris), D . p t e r i d i f o l i a , D . spec iosa , D . con fe r t a , D . f a l c a t a , D. b i p i n n a t i f i d a .

Dryandras Which Have Proven Hardy i n a Range of Garden Ccndit ions: D . praemorsa, D. formosa, D . f raser i , D . p t e r i d i f o l i a , D . t e n u i f o l i a , D . n ivea , D . cuneata , D. s e s s i l i s , D. q u e r c i f o l i a .

Cultivation Requirements: In general, they must have a well drained, f a i r l y open posi t ion as very few can t o l e r a t e wet condit ions. Though they grow b e t t e r i n f u l l sun, they a re seemingly more t o l e r an t than Banksias of pa r t shade s i t ua t i ons . Dryandras a r e not fussy regarding s o i l and a r e ab le t o grow on deep sand o r heavy s o i l s , provided these a re well drained. They can t o l e r a t e dry condit ions once es tabl ished but do need watering through t h e i r . f i r s t summer. Because they of ten grow i n dense, mutual%y she l t e r i ng communities o r i n semi-protected fo r res ted a r ea s , individual p l an t s a re not recommended f o r exposed s i t ua t i ons .

Propagation: Dryandras can be grown from e i t h e r seed o r cu t t ings . How- ever, i n general, growing from seed is e a s i e r though seed i s i n chronical ly shor t supply. They should be t rea ted as f o r Banksias, using a well drained mix and preferably growing completely i n t h e open. Theugh it i s of ten recommended t ha t individual pots be used, t h i s has not proved necessary f o r most species t r i e d .

Propagation from cu t t ings so f a r has been very d i f f i c u l t f o r many species and i n general with a normal cold frame and using no hormones, root formation takes 3-6 months. Shorter times have been reported f o r cu t t ings held i n polyhouses; there i s no information on the e f f e c t of hormones. Medim wood t o s o f t wood appears t o be best though much more work needs t o be done i n t h i s area t o e s t ab l i sh t h i s point with c e r t a i n t y . No optimum time fo r taking cut t ings has ye t been es tabl ished.

The following have been found t o be r e l a t i v e l y easy: D. fomosa , D. t enu i fo l i a (upright and pros t ra te form), D . a m t a , B. nivea, some forms of D. f r a s e r i , D. calophylla (from roo t d iv i s ion) , D . hewardiana ( i n polyhouse), D . querc i fo l ia .

These have been grown wizh d i f f i c u l t y : D. bax te r i , D . casduacea, D . s e s s i l i s .

If you would l i k e t o know more about the Dryandras Study Group, p lease contact one o f the following:

M r . Tony Cavanagh, Post Office Box 101, Ocean Grove: 3226.

M r . Alf. Salkin, 38 Pinewood, Drive, Mount Waverley. 3149.