Thursday, December 11, 2025

Plants

Plant PalettePlants

The perfect cherry for a tropical Christmas

By Caleb Roberts

Botanical name: Malpighia emarginata ‘Florida Sweet’

Common name(s): Acerola, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry, wild crepe myrtle, Antilles cherry

Family: Malpighiaceae

Origin or native range: Hailing from Central America and Mexico, the highest production of Malpighia emarginata (Syn.… Continue reading

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edible hibiscusPlants

Not just a pretty flower: The edible hibiscus

By Clive Larkman

Over the years I have often written about edimental plants and how good they are for the urban garden. We all know that prior to the modern supermarket the home garden was a major source of edible plants.Continue reading

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Bush FoodPlants

Bushfoods: The key to building nature-first cities

By Michael Casey

Bushfoods have long been valued for their cultural and culinary significance, but their true potential lies in how they can transform our cities. By choosing species that thrive in tough environments, we can create urban landscapes that are resilient, biodiverse and deeply connected to country.Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Best-selling strappies and grasses 2024-25

By Daniel Fuller

Ozbreed has analysed sales data on all grasses and other strappy monocot sales from the last financial year to shortlist the best-selling varieties based on number of units sold. This information can help wholesale and production nurseries add heavy-hitters to their stock lists.Continue reading

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Plants

A travelling tomato!

By Clive Larkman

The nursery industry supplies plants to all sectors of horticulture including home gardens. Originally the home garden provided edible and medicinal plant material for the occupants of its house. It is now primarily a source of ornamental plants to both beautify the garden and give pleasure to those working in it.Continue reading

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Living plant collectionsPlants

Living plant collections: A digital renaissance

By Richard Ackland and Rhonda Sorensen

Over the past 18 months, the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden (NCRBG) in Coffs Harbour, northern NSW, has revolutionised the way it manages records of its living plant collection. As a sanctuary of biodiversity, the botanic garden has long been a guardian of rare and significant plant species, yet its record-keeping systems had become outdated and fragmented.Continue reading

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PlantsTurf

Turf breeding for the future

A turfgrass program’s expanding role in zoysia grass innovation

By Brian Schwartz and Sameer Khanal

The warm season turfgrass breeding program at the University of Georgia’s Tifton Campus continues to foster its long-standing and impactful public private partnerships to address key challenges in the turfgrass industry through cultivar development.Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

One fine Phyllanthus

By Caleb Roberts

Botanical name: Phyllanthus embilica

Common name(s): Amla, Indian gooseberry

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Origin or native range: There is a saying about some medicines, that a strong taste means they must be doing something right! That certainly rings true for amla, otherwise known as the Indian gooseberry.… Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Sage insights: The expanding world of salvias

By Clive Larkman

The genus Salvia is one of the largest plant genera with over 1,000 species. It is a member of the Lamiaceae, the mint family, which includes most of our aromatic and many of our medicinal herbs. Salvia is the largest genus in the Lamiaceae and consists of annuals, perennials and evergreen shrubs that grow in full desert sun to moist woodland environments.Continue reading

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Advanced TreesPlants

Is bigger better?

By Patrick Regnault

Advanced trees have an undeniable use in the landscapes of public and private gardens. They help create a focal point, anchor the new landscape and sometimes they are simply the most practical option. But are they overused? Are they horticulturally appropriate for the site or the species?Continue reading

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