Festival sees brisk native plant sales

MAUVE magic sets the district town of Goombungee apart at this time of year, when the annual Jacaranda Day Festival is held on the first Saturday in November.

This year, Peacehaven's native nursery sold dozens of plants through one of more than 20 market stalls as part of the festival activities.

Nursery co-orindator, Joy Sheath, selected plants specially suited to the black soil prevalent in and around Goombungee.  Plant species offered included melaleucas, callistemon, eremophilas, eucalypts, wattles, and myoporum.

An 'apple' tree by name ... but not by nature

EUCALYPTUS cinerea, also known as the Argyle apple, Mealy stringybark and silver dollar tree, is popular with florists because of its distinctive leaves. A broadleaf evergreen, it  will grow as a single-trunk tree to 60 feet in Australia although, in cultivation, a height of 20 to 30 feet is more  usual.  

The  species’ white flowers, which appear in mid-spring to early summer, are not particularly significant. The peeling reddish-brown bark, however, is quite attractive.

But the biggest drawcard remains the juvenile foliage, which consists of opposite, rounded, silvery bluish-green leaves up to two inches long. The leaves are not only beautifully shaped and coloured, but also highly aromatic. Argyle apple is tough, not particular about soil and reasonably drought tolerant.

Young stock have been potted on at the Peacehaven nursery, and should be available for sale just in time for Christmas.

New nursery on the cards

The Friends of Peacehaven Botanic Park see construction of a new native plant nursery as their #1 project over the next 12 months.

The initiative is being driven by newly re-elected president Gus Hamilton and treasurer John Herbert.  Working in close consultation with Toowoomba Regional Council's senior landscape architect,  the new nursery will provide much needed additional space to cater for increased plant stock to meet growing demand by customers.

Located on the north-eastern border of the park, the new nursery will include a greenhouse, herbarium, storage area, small meeting room, plant hardening area and wet area for plant propagation.

Plans are being prepared for submission to the Toowoomba Regional Council