urban landscape plantings: a selection of plant species suitable for the melbourne airport and...

URBAN LANDSCAPE PLANTINGS

A selection of plant species suitable for the Melbourne

Airport and surrounding environs.

Melbourne Airport Urban Landscape Plantings

Table of Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................3

A Guide to Using This Booklet......................................................................4

Tolerances....................................................................................................4 Drought Tolerance....................................................................................4 Sun Tolerance ..........................................................................................5

Pictorial Species List .....................................................................................7

Trees ............................................................................................................7 Agonis flexuosa ........................................................................................7 Allocasuarina verticillata ...........................................................................8 Geijera parvifolia.......................................................................................9 Gleditsia triacanthos ...............................................................................10

Shrubs ........................................................................................................11 Cotinus coggygria...................................................................................11 Bursaria spinosa.....................................................................................12 Westringia fruticosa ................................................................................13 Prostanthera lasianthos ..........................................................................14 Senna artemisoides ................................................................................15 Abelia spp...............................................................................................16 Correa alba.............................................................................................17 Artemisia spp..........................................................................................18 Eramophila nivea....................................................................................19

Ground Covers and Climbing Plants ..........................................................20 Convolvulus cneorum .............................................................................20 Hibbertia spp. .........................................................................................21 Lomandra longifolia ................................................................................22 Hardenbergia violacea............................................................................23

Produced by..................................................................................................24


Introduction The presence of bird populations surrounding Melbourne Airport is a potential hazard to aircraft. The occurrence of ‘birdstrike’ to planes can cause significant damage and have potentially catastrophic outcomes. One method of minimising the possibility of birdstrike is to consider the vegetation that is planted in the vicinity of the airport. This booklet contains a list of plant species that have very few bird attracting qualities. All species included are also suited to the environmental conditions of the Melbourne Airport and surrounding areas. Considering species selection when planting in proximity to the airport is an important factor in minimising the potential for birdstrike. This booklet contains a pictorial list of 17 tree, shrub or ground cover/climbing species. Botanical plant names listed with the suffix ‘spp’ is a reference to the entire genus. For example, all Hibbertia spp. exhibit similar qualities and are therefore suitable for planting within the Melbourne Airport area. Plant details such as size and tolerances are included to aid in the decision of what to plant where. Any relevant cultivars have also been included where appropriate as well as the origin of the species being either Exotic, Australian native, Victorian native or indigenous. Specifically, this means:

Exotic – The plant has been introduced into Australia Australian Native – The plant is native to Australia Victorian Native – The plant occurs naturally in Victoria Indigenous – The plant occurs naturally within 30km of the surrounding airport area.

Further suitable species are listed in the Melbourne Airport revised planting document.


A Guide to Using This Booklet

Tolerances Plant species display tolerances to environmental conditions due to adaptations to their natural environment. This is why indigenous plant species often perform better than exotic or native species from other parts of the country or the world. Where species have evolved in similar conditions to that of our own, some of the same tolerances are displayed. Melbourne’s environment is best described as ‘cool temperate’ and specific soil conditions in the Melbourne Airport area are predominantly low nutrient clays with some smaller pockets of shallow sands on clay substrata. Species tolerances must therefore consider both the above and below ground requirements of the plant.

Drought Tolerance Establishing plants in urban environments can be difficult. It is likely that all plants will require some level of irrigation in the first few years of establishment, and potentially intermittently for the rest of their life, dependant on specific water requirements. It should be noted however, that many plant species can become stressed in the absence of water and still survive long periods of extended drought. Drought tolerance is described from “Poor” to “Very Good”. Plants with ‘Poor’ drought tolerance are likely to require intermittent to regular supplementary irrigation throughout much of their life in order to maintain a healthy canopy of foliage and prevent premature death. Plants with ‘Moderate’ drought tolerance are likely to require summer irrigation through periods of drought. Plants with ‘Moderate to Good’ tolerance are likely to display signs of stress after relatively short periods of drought, though will tolerate extended periods of drought. Plants with ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ tolerance are not likely to require any supplementary irrigation once established and tolerate long to very long periods of drought.


Sun Tolerance The level of sun exposure a plant receives can influence the growth rates and affect plant health. Many species that are adapted to high light levels will not grow well in over shadowed locations. Conversely, some plant species cannot tolerate direct sunlight, and produce symptoms such as scorched leaves when sun exposure is too great. A plant’s leaf design can often indicate its tolerance to sun. Glossy and often larger leaves are adapted to absorb as much sun as possible in limited light conditions, while small, sometimes hairy or glaucus (grey/green) leaves are adapted to minimise sun exposure.

Figure 1: Dark, glossy leaves of the Rubber Tree can tolerate low light conditions

Figure 2: Small, vertically aligned, leathery leaves of eucalypt trees are adapted to high sun exposure


Compaction Tolerance Urban conditions are the most difficult conditions for plant growth. Soil environments are often highly disturbed in comparison to natural, undisturbed soils. The most inhibiting factor for root growth and therefore establishment is the effect of compaction. Soil compaction can be extremely detrimental because: • it changes soil conditions dramatically • the plant’s root system does not have enough time to adapt to the changed conditions. • It can lead to a decline in plant health and even death. Water infiltration into the soil horizon takes a lot longer. It also inhibits or prevents gas exchange between the roots and the atmosphere. Continuous pedestrian traffic, cars and trucks can all cause soil compaction, effectively starving roots in that area of water and oxygen. See Figures 3 and 4. The application of mulch can help alleviate to the problem of compaction and over time improve soil structure.

Figure 3: Water movement and gas exchange under normal conditions.

Figure 4: Water movement and gas exchange under changed conditions.

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Botanical Name Agonis flexuosa Common Name Willow Myrtle

Life Form Medium Tree—Evergreen Origin Australian Native

Dimensions 10m x 6m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Medium Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Poor Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Street or park tree

Comments Cultivars include Agonis ‘After Dark’ (Main picture and below inset) and Agonis ’Burgendy’.

Agonis flexuosa

Botanical Name Allocasuarina verticillata Common Name Drooping She-Oak

Life Form Medium Tree—Evergreen

Origin Indigenous Dimensions 10m x 10m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Moderate Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Average Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Open Street or park tree

Comments

Allocasuarina verticillata

Botanical Name Geijera parvifolia Common Name Wilga

Life Form Small Tree—Evergreen Origin Australian Native

Dimensions 9m x 6m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Slow Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Street or park tree

Comments

Geijera parvifolia

Botanical Name Gleditsia triacanthos Common Name Honey Locust Life Form Medium Tree—Deciduous Origin Exotic Dimensions 15m x 8m Drought Tolerance Good Growth Rate Fast to 10m Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Good Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Avenue or feature tree

Comments G.triacanthos ‘Limegold’ is consid-ered a superior specimen to ‘Sunburst’. Cultivars are generally smaller specimens to 10m.

Gleditsia triacanthos

Botanical Name Cotinus coggygria Common Name Smoke Bush

Life Form Large Shrub — Deciduous

Origin Exotic Dimensions 4m x 4m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Fast Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Small feature tree

Comments Interesting floral display.

Cotinus coggygria

Botanical Name Bursaria spinosa Common Name Sweet Bursaria Life Form Small tree/large shrub Status Indigenous Dimensions 6mx2m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Medium to Fast Sun Tolerance Sun to semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Very Good Bird/Bat Attracting No Common Uses Can be grown as a shrub or pruned

into a single stemmed feature tree. Comments Can be prickly.

Bursaria spinosa

Botanical Name Westringia fruticosa Common Name Native Rosemary Life Form Shrub

Origin Victorian Native Dimensions 3m x 4m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Medium to Fast Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Moderate to Good Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Can be clipped to a small hedge or

grown as a screening hedge. Comments Keep clipped to maintain compact

growth.

Westringia fruticosa

Botanical Name Prostanthera lasianthos Common Name Australian Christmas Bush/Mint Bush

Life Form Small Tree/Large Shrub

Origin Victorian Native Dimensions 6m x 4m Drought Tolerance Good Growth Rate Moderate to Fast Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Good Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Screening.

Comments Foliage has a minty scent

Prostanthera lasianthos

Botanical Name Senna artemisioides Common Name Silver Cassia Life Form Small shrub — Evergreen Origin Victorian Native

Dimensions 2m x 3m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Moderate to fast Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Low shrub Comments Keep clipped to maintain compact

habit.

Senna artemisioides

Botanical Name Abelia x grandiflora Common Name Abelia Life Form Shrub—Evergreen Status Exotic Dimensions 3m x 4m Drought Tolerance Medium to Good Growth Rate Moderate Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat Attracting No Common Uses Shrub/low screen Comments Other Abelia species are also

appropriate.

Abelia x grandiflora

Botanical Name Correa alba Common Name White Correa Life Form Medium Shrub

Origin Victorian Native Dimensions 1.5m x 2.5m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Medium to Fast Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Very Good Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Used for garden borders or edging.

Can be shaped into a low hedge. Comments Responds to pruning.

Correa alba

Botanical Name Artemisia arborscens Common Name Tree Wormwood Life Form Shrub Status Exotic Dimensions 1.5m x 2m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Fast Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat Attracting No Common Uses Low shrub. Garden beds. Low screen Comments Other Artemisia species include A.

calafornica and A. ‘Powis Castle’.

Artemisia spp.

Botanical Name Eremophila nivea Common Name Silky Eremophila Life Form Small shrub — Evergreen Origin Victorian Native

Dimensions 2m x 2m Drought Tolerance Good Growth Rate Medium to fast Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Good Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Low shrub or border

Comments Excellent foliage and floral display. Keep clipped to maintain compact growth

Eremophila nivea

Botanical Name Convolvulus cneorum Common Name Silver Bush

Life Form Ground cover — Evergreen Origin Exotic

Dimensions 600mm x 900mm Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Moderate Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Ground cover, borders or edging Comments A very tough plant that will tolerate

most soil conditions except boggy or waterlogged.

Convolvulus cneorum

Botanical Name Hibbertia scandens Common Name Snake Vine

Life Form Creeper, climber, groundcover Origin Victorian Native Dimensions Climbs to 4m x 2m Drought Tolerance Good Growth Rate Moderate to Fast Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Tolerates a wide range of urban

conditions. Comments

Hibbertia spp.

Botanical Name Lomandra longifolia Common Name Spiney-headed Mat-rush

Life Form Clump forming herb

Origin Indigenous Dimensions 0.5m x 0.75m Drought Tolerance Moderate to Good Growth Rate Moderate Sun Tolerance Full Sun Compaction Tolerance Very Good Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Planting beds and road sides.

Comments Many cultivars growing to different heights are available.

Lomandra longifolia

Botanical Name Hardenbergia violacea Common Name Purple Coral Pea, False Sarsaparilla

Life Form Creeper, climber, groundcover Origin Victorian Native Dimensions Climbs to 5m x 2m Drought Tolerance Very Good Growth Rate Moderate to Fast Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade Compaction Tolerance Not Known Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No Common Uses Good screening plant or informal

groundcover. Comments ‘Happy Wanderer’ and ‘Mini Haha’ are

good ground cover varieties.

Hardenbergia violacea


Produced by

Australia Pacific Airports

In Association with

Homewood Consulting Pty. Ltd. 23 Worrell Street

Nunawading Vic 3131

[email protected]

Ph: 03 9877 4114

Fax: 03 9877 4114

Document prepared by:

Liam Costello Bachelor of Horticulture

Advanced Diploma Horticulture (Arboriculture)

urban landscape plantings: a selection of plant species suitable for the melbourne airport and...

Education

list of plant species

indigenous plant species

species list

suitable species

species selection

exoticor native species

booklettolerancesplant

melbourne airport area