HEADER IMAGE: Backhousia ciriodora in flower.
ACACIA.
ACACIA Species - Botanical Name: Acacia. Common Name, Wattle or thorntree, or whistling thorn. A genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, described by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not. All species are pod-bearing, with sap and leaves often bearing large amounts of tannins and condensed tannins that historically found use as pharmaceuticals and preservatives. The genus Acacia previously contained roughly 1,300 species, about 960 of them native to Australia, with the remainder spread around the tropical to warm-temperate regions of both hemispheres, including Europe, Africa, southern Asia, and the Americas (see List of Acacia species). However, in 2005, the genus was divided into five separate genera under the tribe "Acacieae". The genus Acacia (sensu stricto) was retained for the majority of the Australian species and a few in tropical Asia, Madagascar, and Pacific Islands. Most of the species outside Australia, and a small number of Australian species, were reclassified into Vachellia and Senegalia. The two final genera, Acaciella and Mariosousa, each contains about a dozen species from the Americas. Photographs taken in Third Avenue, Whangarei.
ACER.
Acer palmatun: Japanese Maple.
BOTANICAL NAME : Acer - Acer is a large genus of trees and shrubs with approx. 128 species, most of which are native to Asia, but also Europe, North America and Africa. Cultivated varieties have been bread, all of which grow well in Northland. Pictured is a maple growing in Manse Street, Whangarei. Left is a photograph of foliage and fruit on the same tree.
Many cultivated varieties have coloured foliage from yellow to bronze and are grown in gardens and around ponds & pools throughout New Zealand. Large photograph below shows Acer fruit, two winged nuts joined together to a flat wing of flat, papery tissue. The distinctive fruit are called samaras.
Acer palmatum: Common Name - Japanese Maple or Smooth Japanese Maple. A species of Acer native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Cultivars of this species are grown worldwide for their attractive foliage shapes and colour. A.palmatum is a shrub or small tree, reaching heights of 6 to 10 m. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. The leaves are 4–12 cm long and wide, palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine acutely pointed lobes. The individual flowers with five red or purple sepals and five whitish petals. The fruit, known as keys, is a pair of winged samaras, each samara 2–3 cm long with a 6–8 mm seed.
Many cultivated varieties have coloured foliage from yellow to bronze and are grown in gardens and around ponds & pools throughout New Zealand. Large photograph below shows Acer fruit, two winged nuts joined together to a flat wing of flat, papery tissue. The distinctive fruit are called samaras.
Acer palmatum: Common Name - Japanese Maple or Smooth Japanese Maple. A species of Acer native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Cultivars of this species are grown worldwide for their attractive foliage shapes and colour. A.palmatum is a shrub or small tree, reaching heights of 6 to 10 m. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. The leaves are 4–12 cm long and wide, palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine acutely pointed lobes. The individual flowers with five red or purple sepals and five whitish petals. The fruit, known as keys, is a pair of winged samaras, each samara 2–3 cm long with a 6–8 mm seed.
Agonis juniperina: Swmp Myrtle - Warren River Cedar - Juniper Myrtle.
BOTANICAL NAME: Agonis juniperina is now classified as Taxandria juniperina, but is listed here under Agonis, as that is what it is more commonly known as. Common Names are Swamp Wattle, Warren River Cedar or Juniper Myrtle. It is a species of small tree that grows in the south west corner of Western Australia. There are two species that grow very well in Northland, and flower profusely. The other is A. flexuosa.
Agonis flexuosa: Western Australian Peppermint - Swan River Peppermint - Willow Myrtle.
BOTANICAL NAME: Agonis flexuosa: Common Names - Western Australian peppermint, Swan River peppermint or peppermint, and willow myrtle for its weeping habit. A species of small tree that grows in the south west of Western Australia. It is commonly grown in parks and on road verges in New Zealand. This species takes about fifteen years to reach maturity. A broad-leaved tree that flowers in November, its long weeping branches being covered in small white flowers. It tolerates frost and drought. Grows very well in Whangarei and further north.
ALBIZIA.
Albizia species- Silk Tree - Cape Wattle.
Albizia species: Common Name - Silk Tree or Cape Wattle. Albizia is a small species of flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, found in Asia, Africa and Australia. popular in Northland as a garden shrub or tree, it grows very well in the Northland climate. Other common names include saman (from the old botanical name Samanea), rain tree and monkeypod.
Albizia is a wide-canopied tree with a large symmetrical crown. Species range from small garden shrubs of 6 metres, to a height of 25 m. The leaves fold in rainy weather and in the evening, hence the name "rain tree" and "five o'clock tree". Large branches of the tree tend to break off, particularly during rainstorms. The most commonly planted is the large A. lebbek or Siris Tree, a 25 metre shafe tree, The Australian species A. lophantha, or Cape Wattle, which is only half the size and with a shrubby habbit, but the most spectacular of the species is possibly the Persian Silk Tree, A jullbrissin, a favourite in the Middle East and Australia (see 2 small photographs above, taken in Manse Street, Whangarei), a short, spreading tree with clusters of pink puffball flowers.
Albizia is a wide-canopied tree with a large symmetrical crown. Species range from small garden shrubs of 6 metres, to a height of 25 m. The leaves fold in rainy weather and in the evening, hence the name "rain tree" and "five o'clock tree". Large branches of the tree tend to break off, particularly during rainstorms. The most commonly planted is the large A. lebbek or Siris Tree, a 25 metre shafe tree, The Australian species A. lophantha, or Cape Wattle, which is only half the size and with a shrubby habbit, but the most spectacular of the species is possibly the Persian Silk Tree, A jullbrissin, a favourite in the Middle East and Australia (see 2 small photographs above, taken in Manse Street, Whangarei), a short, spreading tree with clusters of pink puffball flowers.
Albizzia julibrissin (below), Common Name Persian Silk Tree, comes from Iran, China & Japan. It grows to 25 meters (80ft). These fine trees are growing at the Whau Valley end of Kamo Road.
BACKHOUSIA.
Backhousia citriodora: Lemon Myrtle - Lemon Scented Ironwood.
BOTANICAL NAME: Backhousia citriodora: Common names lemon myrtle, lemon scented myrtle, lemon scented ironwood. A small tree or shrub in the family Myrtaceae. The genus Backhousia is endemic to subtropical rainforests of central and south-eastern Queensland, Australia, with a natural distribution from Mackay to Brisbane. Other common names are sweet verbena tree, sweet verbena myrtle, lemon scented verbena, and lemon scented backhousia. It was grown for parks by the Auckland City Council in the 1960s, but is now almost a forgotten shtub, although there is a large specimen in Russell Road, and one in the Sub-Tropical Quarry Gardens in Whangarei, where these photographs were taken. Most commonly called Lemon-scented Myrtle. The leaves give off a very strong citrus scent when crushed. A valuable commercial oil is extracted from the foliage. Although classed as a small to medium tree, it can grow up to 20 metres tall in the Australian Bush.
CALLISTEMON.
Callistemon species: Bottlebrush.
BOTANICAL NAME: Callistemon species: Common Name - Bottlebrush. A genus of 34 species of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, all of which are endemic to Australia. Callistemon species are commonly referred to as bottlebrushes because of their cylindrical, brush like flowers resembling a traditional bottle brush. They are found in the more temperate regions of Australia, mostly along the east coast and south-west They thrive in Northland. Several species are used in ornamental landscaping elsewhere in the world. Callistemon citrinus splendens and C. Harkness Hybrid are two excellent red flowering cultivars. Flowering is normally in spring and early summer (October–December), but conditions may cause flowering at other times of the year. The obvious parts of the flower masses are stamens, with the pollen at the tip of the filament; the petals are inconspicuous (see picture). Flower heads vary in colour with species; most are red, but some are yellow, green, orange or white. Each flower head produces a profusion of triple-celled seed capsules around a stem (see picture) which remain on the plant with the seeds enclosed until stimulated to open when the plant dies or fire causes the release of the seeds. A few species release the seeds annually. They are relatively slow growing though in time the larger species can grow up to 15 m (49 ft). They have been grown in Europe since a specimen of C. citrinus was introduced to Kew Gardens in London by Joseph Banks in 1789.
COTONUS.
BOTANICAL NAME: Cotinus coggygria, syn. Rhus cotinus . Common Names Eurasian Smoketree, Smoke Tree, Smoke Bush or Rhus. A species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae, native to a large area from southern Europe, east across central Asia and the Himalayas to northern China. It is a multiple-branching shrub growing to 5–7 m tall with an open, spreading, irregular habit, only rarely forming a small tree. The leaves are 3-8 cm long rounded ovals, green with a waxy glaucous sheen. The autumn colour can be strikingly varied, from peach and yellow to scarlet. The flowers are numerous, produced in large inflorescences 15–30 cm long; each flower 5-10 mm diameter, with five pale yellow petals. Most of the flowers in each inflorescence abort, elongating into yellowish-pink to pinkish-purple feathery plumes. When viewed en masse these have a wispy 'smoke-like' appearance, hence the common name. A popular bronze or purple foliage hybrid is C. coggygria 'Royal Purple'.
EUONYMOS.
Euonymus japonicas: Japanese spindle.
BOTANICAL NAME: Euonymus japonicas: Common Name, Japanese spindle. A species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, native to Japan, Korea and China. An evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 2–8 m (6 ft 7 in–26 ft 3 in) tall, with opposite, oval leaves 3–7 cm long with finely serrated margins. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-white, 5 mm diameter. In autumn, orange fruit hangs below the flaring pink seed coverings. E. japonicus is a popular ornamental plant for parks and gardens in New Zealand. In particular the numerous cultivars especially E. japonicas variegata or a variety with yellow leaves. Photographs taken in Third Avenue, Whangarei, may be a cultivar as it flowers profusely, December/January.
Euonymus japonicas 'Ovatus Aureua': Variegated Spindle.
GORDONIA.
BOTANICAL NAME: Gordonia axillarisis: Common Name - Crepe Camellia. A flowering plants in the family Theaceae, related to the Camellia and Stewartia. Belongs to a genus of about 40 species and is native to China and Taiwan. An evergreen tree, growing to 10–20 m tall. The bark is thick and deeply fissured. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, serrated, thick, leathery, glossy, and 6–18 cm long. The flowers are large and conspicuous, 4–15 cm diameter, with 5 (occasionally 6-8) white petals; flowering is in late winter or early spring. The fruit is a dry five-valved capsule, with 1-4 seeds in each section. The species are adapted to acidic soils, and do not grow well on chalk or other calcium-rich soils. They also have a high rainfall requirement and will not tolerate drought. It also makes an attractive ornamental hedge.
ILEX.
Ilex aquifolium: Holly - Common or English Holly - Christmas Holly.
BOTANICAL NAME: Ilex aquifolium: Common Names - holly, common holly, English holly, European holly, Christmas holly. A species of holly native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia. I. aquifolium is synonomus with Christmas decoration in Europe and English colonial countries. An adaptable tree to different conditions, and although a cold climate tree, grows well in subtropical Northland, where there is a very fine specimen of I. aquifolium variegatum growing in the grounds of Whangarei Girl's High School, where these photographs were taken. It can grow to 10 m in height. However, it is slow growing. The brilliant display of red berries may not be present for a number of years if at all in subtropical climates.
Inga edulis: Ice Cream Bean - Pacayer - Paterna - Guama - Guaba.
BOTANICAL NAME: BOTANICAL NAME: Inga edulis: Common NameIce Cream Bean - Pacayer. A genus of small tropical, tough-leaved, nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs, subfamily Mimosoideae. Inga's leaves are pinnate, and flowers are generally white. Many of the hundreds of species are used ornamentally. The seeds are covered with sweet white powder. The pulp covering the seeds is lightly fibrous and sweet, and rich in minerals; it is edible in the raw state. The tree usually blossoms twice a year. Within the Inga genus there are around 300 species, most of them native and growing in the Amazon forest region although some species are also found in Mexico, Greater and Lesser Antilles and other countries in South America, being an exclusively neotropical genus. The trees are usually found by river and lake edges because their seeds are carried there by floods. All Inga species produce their seeds in "bean-like" pods and some can reach up to 1 m long, in general the pods are 10 – 30 cm long. Trees can reach up to 15 metres and they are widely used for producing shade over coffee plants. The plant benefits from well drained soil. The flowers are white with some green and the tree can produce fruits almost all year long. Inga species, most notably Inga edulis often have edible pulp. The name derives from the fact that those of I. edulis resembles vanilla ice cream in flavour. Photographa taken in the Subtropical Quarry Garden in Whangarei.
MAGNOLIA (See also under Hedge Plants)
Magnolia - A large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. The natural range of Magnolia species has a main centre in east and southeast Asia and a secondary centre in eastern North America, Central America, the West Indies, and some species in South America. This yellow flowered species or variety, is growing in the Waiarohia Reserve beside State Highway 1 (Western Hills Drive), Whangarei.
Magnolia figo: Port Wine Magnolia. An evergreen tree growing 3 to 4 metres tall. It has strongly scented small rounded flowers with purple on the outer petals. A beautifully shaped ornamental tree, like other Magnolias it can be used as a hedge plant, but is mainly grown for its strong perfume.
MELALEUCA.
Melaleuca species: Melaleuca - Paperbark - Honey Myrtle.
BOTANICAL NAME: Melaleuca species: Common Names - Honey Myrtle or paperbark.. There are well over 200 recognised species, most of which are endemic to Australia. The species are shrubs and trees which,depending on species, grow up to 30 metres in height, often with flaky bark. The leaves are evergreen, alternately arranged, ovate to lanceolate, 1–25 cm (0.39–9.84 in) long and 0.5–7 cm (0.20–2.76 in) broad, with an entire margin, dark green to grey-green in colour. The flowers are produced in dense clusters along the stems, each flower with fine small petals and a tight bundle of stamens; flower colour varies from white to pink, red, pale yellow or greenish. The fruit is a small capsule containing numerous minute seeds.Melaleuca is closely related to the genus Callistemon; the main difference between the two is that the stamens are generally free in Callistemon but grouped into bundles in Melaleuca. Callistemon was recently placed into Melaleuca. In the wild, Melaleuca plants are generally found in open forest, woodland or shrubland, particularly along watercourses and the edges of swamps. The best-accepted common name for Melaleuca is simply melaleuca. Tne well-known melaleuca, M. alternifolia, is notable for its essential oil which is both anti-fungal and antibiotic, while safely usable for topical applications. This is produced on a commercial scale and marketed as Tea Tree Oil. Melaleucas are popular garden plants, both in Australia and other tropical areas worldwide.
IMAGES OF MELALEUCA.
MICHELIA
Michelia yunnanensis - Yunnan Magnolia.
BOTANICAL NAME: Michelia yinnanensis, syn. M. laevifolia, Common name - Yunnan Magnolia. Michelia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Magnoliaceae. The genus includes about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia (Indomalaya), including southern China. Photographs taken at Palmers Garden Centre in Whangarei. M. yunnanensis is a small open-crowned tree which produces white perfumed flowers with yellow stamens during spring.
MUSA.
BOTANICAL NAME: Musa ornata (flowering banana) is one of more than 50 species of banana in the genus Musa of the family Musaceae. Most of these species are large tropical evergreen perennials, mainly from lowland areas with high temperature and humidity. Musa ornata originated in southeast Asia, and is cultivated for its commercial and ornamental value. The fruit is attractive but tends to be inedible.
Musa ornate: Ornamental bananas - Flowering Bananas.
OLEA.
Olea europaea: Olive.
BOTANICAL NAME: Olea europaea: Common Name - Olive Tree. A species of small tree in the family Oleaceae. Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the Mediterranean region as the source of olive oil. The tree and its fruit give its name to the plant family, which also includes species such as lilacs, jasmine, Forsythia and the true ash trees, Fraxinus. The Olive tree grows and fruits very well in Whangarei, as the photographs which were taken beside the old library in Rust Avenue, attest to. The olive tree, O. europaea, is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa. It is short and squat, and rarely exceeds 8–15 m (26–49 ft) in height. The silvery green leaves are oblong, measuring 4–10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) long and 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) wide. The trunk is typically gnarled and twisted. The small white, feathery flowers, with ten-cleft calyx and corolla, two stamens and bifid stigma, are borne generally on the previous year's wood, in racemes springing from the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a small drupe 1–2.5 cm (0.39–0.98 in) long, thinner-fleshed and smaller in wild plants than in orchard cultivars. Olives are harvested in the green to purple stage.
PHOTINIA
Photinia species: A genus of about 40 to 60 species of small flowering trees. Commonly used as a hedge, but cultivars such as P. X 'Red Robin', are used as garden shrubs, as they flower profusely and have attractive red foliage. Photinia belongs to the family Rosaceae. Photograph taken in Laurie Hall Park is a species that has green foliage and flowers in spring. It can grow to about 20 metres.
PRUNUS.
Prunus species: Fruiting or Flowering Plums, Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots and Almonds.
BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus . Common Name, Prunus; belonging to the Rose Family, Rosaceae, and covers flowering plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and almonds. A genus of about 430 species, spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament. The fruit from this genus are commonly called the stone fruit. Members of the genus can be deciduous or evergreen. The leaves are simple, alternate, usually lanceolate, unlobed. The flowers are usually white to pink, sometimes red, with five petals and five sepals. There are numerous stamens. Flowers are borne singly, or in umbels of two to six or sometimes more on racemes. The fruit is a fleshy drupe (a "prune") with a single relatively large, hard-coated seed or stone. Photographs taken in Whangarei. Left is a flowering Cherry, P. campanulata, which is now an invasive species in Northland NZ.
Prunus campanulata: Taiwan Cherry - Formosa Cherry - Bellflower Cherry.
Prunus laurocerasus: Laurel
BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus laurocerasus: Common Name - Cherry Laurel, Common Laurel and English Laurel. It is an evergreen species of Prunus, native to Europe and Asia. It is not related to the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis, the true laurel (Lauraceae). P. laurocerasus was used for making laurel wreaths. P. laurocerasus is an evergreen medium-sized tree, growing to 5 to 18 metres. (59 ft). The leaves are dark green, leathery, shiny, (5–)10–25(–30)cm long and 4–10cm broad. The flower buds appear in early spring and open in early summer in erect 7–15cm racemes of 30–40 flowers, each flower 1cm across, with five creamy-white petals and numerous yellowish stamens. The fruit ripens in early autumn. P. laurocerasus is a widely cultivated ornamental plant, used for planting in gardens and parks. It can be used for hedges. Most cultivars are tough shrubs that can cope with difficult growing conditions, including shaded and dry conditions. Photographs taken in Second Avenue, Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand..
IMAGES OF PRUNUS AND BOTANICAL NOTES -
Botanical notes Members of the genus Prunus can be deciduous or evergreen. They belong to the plant family Rosaceae. A few species have spiny stems. The leaves are simple, alternate, usually lanceolate, unlobed, and often with nectaries on the leaf stalk. The flowers are usually white to pink, sometimes red, with five petals and five sepals. There are numerous stamens. Flowers are borne singly, or in umbels (bunches or groups) of two to six or sometimes more on racemes (necklace-like). The fruit is a fleshy drupe or prune (hence the name for a dried plum) with a single relatively large, hard-coated seed or stone. Recently it has become apparent that Prunus evolved from within a much larger clade than was previously thought, so the subfamily is now called Amygdaloideae
More images of Prunus.
More images of Prunus.
RHODODENDRON
BOTANICAL NAME: Rhododendron species. A genus of shrubs and small to large trees, the smallest species growing to 10–100 cm tall, and the largest, R. giganteum, reported to over 30 metres tall. The leaves are spirally arranged; leaf size can range from 1–2 cm to over 50 cm ,
exceptionally 100 cm as with R. sinogrande. They may be either evergreen or deciduous. In some species, the undersides of the leaves are covered with scales (lepidote) or hairs (indumentum). Some of the best known species are noted for their many clusters of large flowers. There are alpine species with small flowers and small leaves, and tropical species. Tropical & Sub-tropical Rhododendrons grow very well in Northland. The Photographs here were taken in Whangarei at the end of August.
exceptionally 100 cm as with R. sinogrande. They may be either evergreen or deciduous. In some species, the undersides of the leaves are covered with scales (lepidote) or hairs (indumentum). Some of the best known species are noted for their many clusters of large flowers. There are alpine species with small flowers and small leaves, and tropical species. Tropical & Sub-tropical Rhododendrons grow very well in Northland. The Photographs here were taken in Whangarei at the end of August.