Xerochrysum bracteatum 'Princess of Wales'
This cultivar grows into a compact, dense shrub 0.6m tall by
0.6m wide. The leaves are mostly glabrous though the midrib is covered with
a fine mantle of silky hairs. Some scattered silky hairs occur also along
the leaf margins. The younger stems are covered in a dense coat of similar
silky hairs which diminish as the stems become older. The leaves average
between 5 and 9cm in length. The flower heads average 5 to 1.5cm long while
the rays of the inner bracts average 1 to 1.5cm long. Both are a rich gold
in colour. The stigmas are orange colour when they emerge. The flowers are
on long stems that emerge well above the foliage. The flowering season in
Canberra is from October to April but occasional flowers may be found all
year round. The flowering period should not be markedly different in other
parts of Australia.
Diagnosis:
This cultivar may be distinguished from the presumed parent
forms by the following features. The cultivar has the perennial habit of
Xerochrysum 'Dargan Hill Monarch' but lacks the greyish appearance provided
by the fine silky hairs. This perennial habit differs from the annual habit
of the other presumed parent form. The main distinguishing characteristic
is in the cultivar's flowering habit. As flowers die the stem withers and
the whole flower stem and dead flowerheads disappear into the lower foliage
of the plant. At the same time new growth emerges from lower on the plant
and extends above the foliage again. These new stems then bear new
inflorescences. The cultivar is also very free flowering.
Other notes:
The free flowering habit together with the growth habit of
"hiding" the spent flower heads make this a very desirable plant for
cultivation. The cultivar is named in honour of her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales on the occasion of her visit to the Australian National
Botanic Gardens on 7 November 1985. The cultivar is frost hardy and
moderately drought hardy. The cultivar must be propagated by vegetative
means to preserve the cultivar form.
Xerochrysum bracteatum 'Pink Sunrise'
A dense perennial with a width of 60 cm and height of 30 cm.
The pink buds open to cream with an orange centre.
Diagnosis:
Xerochrysum 'Pink Sunrise' is similar to Xerochrysum 'Diamond
Head' but flower colour differs. Xerochrysum 'Diamond Head' is 0.2 m x 0.5
m with 3 cm flower heads held well above narrow green foliage; flowers
yellow with an orange centre.
Brachyscome 'Ramboreef'
The vibrant purple pink flower colour is a striking feature of this new brachyscome. Has a compact suckering growth habit and divided foliage. Good accent plant for garden, and great for containers for patios, courtyards and poolside.
Callistemon 'Reeve's Pink'
The cultivar forms a dense shrub to a height of about 3m with an equal or slightly wider spread. The leaves are entire and about 45mm long by about 8mm wide. The new tip growth is pink and densely covered in silky hairs. The flowers are produced in dense "bottlebrush" clusters which
are themselves often grouped into bunches. Individual "bottlebrushes: are pink and about 70mm long and about 40mm wide. The stamens are the colourful part of the flower.
Diagnosis:
This cultivar is different from its possible parent in its slightly more spreading habit and pink flower colour. The usual colour of Callistemon citrinus is red or lemon.
Grevillea 'Lyn Parry'
This cultivar grows to ca. 1.3m tall by 1m across. The leaves
are from 15mm to 35mm long, occasional silky hairs above and densely silky
tomentose below. The leaves are lanceolate with an apiculate apex. The leaf
margins are rolled under. The older branches have a very scattered covering
of small, silky hairs while the younger branchlets are densely covered with
rusty brown hairs. The peduncles and buds are covered in appressed silky
hairs that are rusty reddish in colour. The perianth is approximately 6mm
long and a dull pink in colour. The style is a dull red. The ovary and
inside of the perianth are covered with dense, long, silky hairs. The
flower racemes are terminal and umbel-like. The cultivar bears occasional
flowers all year with the main flowering period being spring.
Diagnosis:
The hybrid origin of this cultivar is very obvious upon closer
examination.
Comparators:
G. buxifolia CBG 7807709; G. sericea CBG 057389.
Chamelaucium uncinatum 'Wilson'
This cultivar forms a shrub ca. 3m tall by 3m wide. The leaves
are ca. 30mm long. The average to large petalled flowers open a deep pink
purple colour and as they age turn a deeper purple. When open the staminal
collar is a very distinct white. The flowers average ca. 20mm in diameter.
Diagnosis:
The cultivar is a selected form of the species. The flower
colour is deep pink purple turning deeper purple with age is its
distinguishing feature. Should provide a statement contrasting the flower
colour of the species with the cultivar.
Callistemon viminalis 'Wollumbin'
The three year old shrub is about 2m high with a spread of
about 1m. The leaves are up to 60mm long by up to 9mm wide. The flowers are
produced in dense 'bottlebrush' clusters. Individual 'bottlebrushes' are
salmon coloured and about 35mm long by about 40mm wide. The stamens are the
colourful parts of the flower. It is stated that this cultivar has a short
flowering period of 7-12 days, however it flowers in spring and again at
the end of January.
Diagnosis:
This cultivar is different from other known forms of C.
viminalis in its salmon coloured flowers instead of the usual red.
Grevillea 'Honey Gem'
Leaves are very deeply pinnately lobed ie. as deep as the
midrib. Each leaf is more or less 29cm long and more or less 24cm wide.
Individual lobes of the leaves are 18cm long and from 2-4mm wide. The upper
surface of the leaf is dark green and the underside is covered with silky
hairs. The leaf margins are rolled under. Young stems are covered with
silky hairs. Flowerheads are apricot with yellow styles, borne on a spike
16cm long and 8cm wide. Individual flowers are more or less 4cm long and
set fertile seed.
Diagnosis:
Grevillea 'Honey Gem' is distinguished from its parents in that
the leaves are intermediate between the two parent species with a bearing
towards Grevillea pteridifolia. The flowers are whorled around the flower
spike as in Grevillea banksii and not one sided as in Grevillea
pteridifolia. Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon' is a hybrid that has a common
parent with G. 'Honey Gem'. The common parent is G. pteridifolia. These
cultivars differ from one another in that Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon' has
flower racemes to 12cm long and the individual flowers are densely packed
on the raceme. The flowers are a bright yellow and the deep lobes of the
leaves are generally wider than G. 'Honey Gem'. G. 'Honey Gem' has a raceme
16cm long and the individaul flowers are borne relatively loosely on the
racemes. The flowers are a browny-orange to apricot colour. The leaves are
wider and longer but the individual lobes are generally narrower than those
in G. 'Sandra Gordon'.
Grevillea banksii 'Kingaroy Slippers'
The leaves are the same as G. banksii. The flowers are borne
in the normal terminal inflorescences for G. banksii. Individual florets
are pink and about 15mm long and the dark pink styles are about 40mm long.
It flowers throughout the year with a main flowering period during summer.
Diagnosis:
The cultivar is different form other known normal forms of G.
banksii in that as the anther unfurls, instead of the limb releasing the
stigma and the perianth splitting so the anther can be released, the
perianth tube breaks away from just below the ovary, and still being
attached at the limb and stigma, is carried away form its normal position.
Self pollination occurs as fertile seed is produced.
Anigozanthos 'Big Red'
Flowering stems are from 1.5 to 2m tall, glabrous or nearly so
below the middle, with scattered plumose hairs becoming more dense under
the inflorescence. Panicle divaricately branched, bearing flowers in
unilateral racemes with an acuminate bract under each branch. Flowers on
pedicels to 12mm long, usually less. The wool is plumose and very dense,
reed on the outside of the perianth tube, tinged with black on the lobes.
The perianth tube is ca. 4.5cm long, glabrous and shining but minutely
scabrous inside. Lobes are ca. 13mm long with dense stellate hairs inside.
Anthers are oblong-linear, more or less as long as the filaments, the
connective tipped with a small glandlike appendage. Ovules are more than 10
per locule.
Diagnosis:
The flowers of Anigozanthos 'Big Red' have the colouring of A.
rufus but are a darker, richer red. They are similar in length to A.
flavidus but are wider and shaped more like A. rufus. The ovary is
prominent like that of A. flavidus. Anigozanthos 'Big Red' is more
floriferous than A. flavidus and A. manglesii and less branched than A.
rufus, appearing closer in habit to A. flavidus. The stems are not as hairy
as A. rufus or A. manglesii but have more hair than A. flavidus.