FFF647 - MONA LAVENDER

Plectranthus ‘Mona lavender’ is a broadleaf evergreen, herbaceous perennial shrub with a dense, rounded form. It belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is a hybrid of  two South African parents: Plectranthus saccatus and Plectranthus hilliardiae.

In Australia it is grown as a houseplant in pots or in the garden. It requires partial shade and soil that is high in organic matter and moist with good drainage. It requires a warm temperate climate for full-time outside growth. In cooler climates, it may be placed outside in summer in a place that receives morning sun to full or partial shade. It may grow 30-60 cm tall and wide.

Pinch or prune the stems to maintain a bushy rounded form. Propagate by stem cutting. The lavender blooms begin to appear when the days get shorter in Autumn and will often bloom into spring, with adequate indirect light.  Deadheading helps to extend the blooming period. The shiny dark green leaves are ornamental with purple undersides.

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FFF646 - YELLOW GUM 'ROSEA'

Eucalyptus leucoxylon, commonly known as the Yellow Gum, (South Australian) Blue Gum or White Ironbark, is a small to medium-sized tree with rough bark on the lower 1-2 metres of the trunk, above this, the bark becomes smooth with a white, yellow or bluish-grey surface. Adult leaves are stalked, lanceolate to broad-lanceolate, to 13 x 2.5 cm, concolorous, dull, green. Flowers in white, pink or red appear during winter. 

E. leucoxylon is widely distributed on plains and nearby mountain ranges or coastal South Australia, where it is known as the Blue Gum and extends into the western half of Victoria where it is known as the Yellow gum. The species has been divided into numerous varieties and subspecies. A spectacular red-flowered form of uncertain provenance Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Rosea’ (shown here) is widely planted as an ornamental plant, it flowers profusely in winter.

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FFF645 - CALADENIA

Caladenia catenata, commonly known as white caladenia, white fingers and lady's fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two white, sometimes pink flowers on a thin, sparsely-hairy stem. It is similar to Caladenia carnea but lacks the red and white bars on the labellum of that species. 

There are one or two flowers borne on a slender, sparsely hairy spike 10–30 cm high. The sepals and petals are glistening white, rarely pink and are sparsely hairy on the lower part of their backs. The dorsal sepal is linear to oblong, erect or slightly curved forward and is 15–22 mm long. The lateral sepals and petals are about the same length as the dorsal sepal and spreading. The labellum is white or pinkish with a yellowy-orange tip. It is 8–10 mm long, 6–18 mm wide when flattened and has three lobes. The central lobe is triangle-shaped, longer than the lateral lobes, curves downward and has finger-like teeth on its edges. The lateral lobes are narrow and may have a few teeth near their tips. There are two rows of yellow or white, club-shaped calli on the centre of the mid-lobe but only as far forward as the front of the lateral lobes.

Flowering occurs from August to November, earlier in New South Wales than Victoria. This Caladenia is uncommon in Victoria where it grows in scattered populations in forest and woodland east of Melbourne. It is more common in New South Wales where it usually grows in sandy soil in coastal forest and shrubland. It is probably the most common Caladenia in the Sydney region.

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