With the storm rain that was received by many parts of the local region this month, it is still a good time to get out in the garden and plant new plants for summer.
Always around this time of the year, the bright red flowering plants create a vivid display, and even the birds seem to be attracted to the red flowers over other colours in the garden. I thought it would be appropriate this weekend to talk about some plants that will create a flowering fireworks display in your garden.
Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa Red Flowering Form or the Liniment Tree is a unique yet rather wiry, sparse shrub. Throughout the year this shrub produces a display of distinctive red pom pom-shaped, bottlebrush-type flowers along the shrubs’ stems.
The heaviest flowering is between May and August. Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa will grow upwards of 6m high in its natural conditions but is more likely to only grow to around 2.5m high in the home garden.
Bougainvillea Scarlet O’Hara is an evergreen climber that produces masses of large sized bright red bracts and in some years can flower all year round. It is the ideal climbing plant for pergolas, fences, garages or any unsightly objects in your yard. Or it can be used as a very colourful tub specimen. Bougainvillea Scarlet O’Hara prefers a warm, sunny position with well-drained soil and is drought tolerant once established.
Calliandra emarginata or Blushing Pixie is a low growing shrub with a weeping habit that is suitable for most garden positions. Blushing Pixie has emerald coloured foliage that almost goes to sleep at night. Then during the warm months of the year this shrub will be covered with masses of fluffy bright pink to red flowers. Blushing Pixie can easily be trimmed into small hedges.
Callistemon Rocky Rambler is a groundcover hybrid form of the Blackdown Tablelands Bottlebrush. With striking red brush flowers and golden tips in spring, this plant will always stand out as one of the most attractive new season colour plants in a dry garden. This is one of the hardiest of the bottlebrushes for local gardens.
Eucalyptus Summer Red is a grafted hybrid of Eucalyptus ficifolia. It has dark blood-red flowers with yellow-tipped stamens and pale yellow centres during summer. Summer Red should grow to approximately 4m high and 3m across, and be able to be grown in most parts of our local area.
Ipomoea horsfalliae or Cardinal Creeper is a Creeper that deserves to be planted in more Central Queensland gardens. The Ipomoea is a fast-growing tropical Creeper for pergolas, growing along fences or walls or even as a trellis feature. The dense lush tropical foliage of the Ipomoea forms a visible contrast to the Creeper’s trumpet flowers. This winter bloomer will become submerged in ruby red to magenta-violet flowers and this year the Ipomoea is still flowering.
Graptophyllum pictum Tricolour is a native to Indonesia/New Guinea and forms an attractive foliage plant for either sun or shade. The attractive leaves are marked with irregular scrawls that resemble a kindergarten ink blot drawing. Three main foliage colour varieties are available – Pink and Red; White and Green; and Yellow and Green. All have small heads of purple-crimson flowers during summer. It grows to 1.5m high and 1.5m wide in most Central Queensland gardens.
Megaskepasma erythrochlamys or Brazilian Red Cloak is an attractive and versatile plant, suitable for use as a screen or background plant in full sun or shaded positions. In late Autumn and through Winter it produces bold spikes of crimson red bracts that make an awesome Winter display. Megaskepasma erythrochlamys will grow to 2-3m in moist well drained soil. Its large lime green leaves provide a year-round tropical look and feel.
Pentas lanceolata Lollipops is an evergreen shrub growing to about 1m tall and wide. It prefers a frost-free, well-drained position and produces clusters of red star-shaped flowers from spring to winter, although the flower colour can vary. It is ideal in a tub for a patio or makes a good front row garden plant.
Syzygium wilsonii is an attractive spreading shrub 1.5 – 2m x 1.5m with broad leaves and deep pink new growth. Beautiful deep crimson 10cm pom-pom type flowers are borne during spring, followed by white fruit. It grows well in light or heavy shade in a well-watered position and is very attractive to honeyeaters.
Each of these vivid red flowering plants are in full bloom in gardens in the Rockhampton Region.
