Bursts of colour with new exotic shrubby trees
By Daniel Fuller
While there is a definite industry trend back to native plants, there is still a huge interest in exotic plants in the Australian landscape. Many landscape and domestic projects still focus on the beautiful exotic plants that have been a staple in Australian gardens over the last hundred years. Let’s explore a few new trees that can all be pruned into shrubs and hedges if needed, and are highly attractive for both landscape and retail use.
Many people love crepe myrtles, but a common pain point is their susceptibility to mildew, particularly in positions prone to moisture. Ozbreed has addressed this issue with a number of varieties, and we haven’t observed them suffering from this fungal disease, even in positions that experience way too much water or near other infected varieties.
Pinky Pink™ Lagerstroemia sp. ‘CM03’ PBR is an ultra-compact, pink-flowering crepe myrtle ideal as a small tree or a low, flowering hedge. Meanwhile, Canopy™ Lagerstroemia sp. ‘CM02’ PBR is a medium-sized, pink-flowering option tall enough to work as a screening hedge or a feature tree in landscapes with more space. Grande Red™ Lagerstroemia sp. ‘CM01’ PBR is the giant of the bunch, growing to around 4m x 3.5m wide with brilliant red crepe myrtle flowers.
Ash trees are beautiful but can be incredibly weedy, so they are currently underutilised in public and private gardens. As much as landscape architects and designers may wish to specify them, they are often avoided for environmental reasons. Safe Haven™ Fraxinus griffithii ‘Frax01’ PBR Intended is a completely sterile plant that produces masses of flowers that have never produced pollen or seeds in 20 years of observation. This means it’s not only non-weedy but also far less attractive to insects, and nectivorous and insectivorous birds. It gives landscape architects a new option near airports and busy roads where birds can be a hazard, and playgrounds where children need to play without the risk of bee stings.
There are a lot of Christmas bushes out there, but none are quite like Velvet Sky™ Metrosideros collina ‘MB01’ PBR. It features the most incredible inky blue stems, and in cooler climates, it will even show the inky blue tones on the leaves themselves. There’s nothing even remotely close to this remarkable shrub/tree on the market.
While nurseries do well with the tried and tested varieties, there’s always room for new and novel plants that fill a need never met. Whether it’s superior disease resistance, the functional benefits of sterility, or simply a completely different aesthetic quality, it’s time to look into new varieties that are sure to tickle your customers’ fancy, whether they’re designing a vibrant public park or a private cottage garden.
Daniel Fuller & Ozbreed
M: 042 6169 708
E: horticulture@ozbreed.com.au
All images supplied by Ozbreed Greenlife