Aussie native star performers

This is an exciting time to be a lover of Australian native plants, with a constant stream of new cultivars appearing on the market each year. Cultivars are plants selected for desirable features, such as flower colour, growth habit or disease resistance, and then propagated to ensure those traits are retained. Unique names, such as Correa ‘Dusky Bells’ and Callistemon ‘Little John’, distinguish them from other cultivars. Some cultivars become enduring favourites, while others vanish almost as quickly as they appear. With Australia’s extraordinary diversity of climates and growing conditions, it can be hard to predict which new releases will prove themselves over the long term. So, we’ve put together a list of stellar cultivars from numerous genera (groups of plants) that have earned their place in our Australian Native Cultivar Hall of Fame. Here are two that never fail to impress.  

Brachyscome ‘Mauve Delight’  
Soft mauve daisy flowers cover this compact, mounding plant all through the warmer months. With a spreading growth habit, it is perfect for rockeries, borders, hanging baskets and mass planting as a low-maintenance groundcover.  

Anigozanthos ‘Yellow Gem’ 
A tall kangaroo paw with vivid yellow blooms on striking red stems, this hybrid is beloved by nectar-feeding birds. Its neat, clumping habit suits a wide range of designs – from wildflower meadows and borders to mass plantings and containers. 

Check out our August issue, where we profile 20 top native cultivars (and list 60+ more!) that are all star performers.
Images: Garden Image/iStock