Australian Plants

Did you know that there are plants that eat insects? Plants whose seeds spread in poo? Plants that move when you touch them? And plants that grow on other plants? Plantastic! presents 26 of Australia's most unique and incredible native plants. Discover and identify native plants found in your local park, bushland, or even in your very own backyard. With its perfect balance of fun facts, activities, adventurous ideas and gorgeous illustrations, Plantastic! will prove just how fantastic Australia's native plants really are!

Australian Native Plants provides a comprehensive guide to the horticulture of our native plants. Based on nearly 50 years of experience at Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, the book describes the necessary growing conditions for mainly Western Australian native plants and covers some of the more technical aspects such as plant propagation and grafting, the use and benefits of tissue culture, methods of seed collection and storage, and the role of smoke in improving germination. Western Australia is home to about five per cent of the world’s vascular plants and contains Australia’s only terrestrial ‘biodiversity hotspot’. Written by experts with an in-depth knowledge of how to grow these plants outside their natural habitat, Australian Native Plants provides the more technically minded professional or enthusiast with information based on decades of research, experimentation and application. It aims to encourage the growing of Australian plants so that they can be used more widely and contribute to interesting, attractive and diverse private gardens and public landscapes in a changing environment.

Australian Native Plants: Cultivation and Uses in the Health and Food Industries provides a comprehensive overview of native food crops commercially grown in Australia that possess nutritional and health properties largely unknown on a global basis. These native foods have been consumed traditionally, have a unique flavor diversity, offer significant health promoting effects, and contain useful functional properties. Australian native plant foods have also been identified for their promising antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that have considerable commercial potential. This book is divided into three parts: The first part reviews the cultivation and production of many Australian native plants (ANP), including Anise Myrtle, Bush Tomato, Desert Raisin, Davidson’s Plum, Desert Limes, Australian Finger Lime, Kakadu Plum, Lemon Aspen, Lemon Myrtle, Muntries, Native Pepper, Quandong, Riberry, and Wattle Seed. It then examines the food and health applications of ANP and discusses alternative medicines based on aboriginal traditional knowledge and culture, nutritional characteristics, and bioactive compounds in ANP. In addition, it reviews the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties of ANP and discusses food preservation, antimicrobial activity of ANP, and unique flavors from Australian native plants. The third section covers the commercial applications of ANP. It focuses on native Australian plant extracts and cosmetic applications, processing of native plant foods and ingredients, quality changes during packaging, and storage of Australian native herbs. The final few chapters look into the importance of value chains that connect producers and consumers of native plant foods, new market opportunities for Australian indigenous food plants, and the safety of using native foods as ingredients in the health and food sectors.

Growing Australian Native Plants from Seed is the most comprehensive book available on growing native plants from seed. The practical book includes information on how to germinate seeds, growing seedlings in containers and species suitable for direst seeding. Details are provided on growing over one thousand native plant genera and thousands of individual species.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1882.

Australian Native Plants: Cultivation and Uses in the Health and Food Industries provides a comprehensive overview of native food crops commercially grown in Australia that possess nutritional and health properties largely unknown on a global basis. These native foods have been consumed traditionally, have a unique flavor diversity, offer significant health promoting effects, and contain useful functional properties. Australian native plant foods have also been identified for their promising antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that have considerable commercial potential. This book is divided into three parts: The first part reviews the cultivation and production of many Australian native plants (ANP), including Anise Myrtle, Bush Tomato, Desert Raisin, Davidson’s Plum, Desert Limes, Australian Finger Lime, Kakadu Plum, Lemon Aspen, Lemon Myrtle, Muntries, Native Pepper, Quandong, Riberry, and Wattle Seed. It then examines the food and health applications of ANP and discusses alternative medicines based on aboriginal traditional knowledge and culture, nutritional characteristics, and bioactive compounds in ANP. In addition, it reviews the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties of ANP and discusses food preservation, antimicrobial activity of ANP, and unique flavors from Australian native plants. The third section covers the commercial applications of ANP. It focuses on native Australian plant extracts and cosmetic applications, processing of native plant foods and ingredients, quality changes during packaging, and storage of Australian native herbs. The final few chapters look into the importance of value chains that connect producers and consumers of native plant foods, new market opportunities for Australian indigenous food plants, and the safety of using native foods as ingredients in the health and food sectors.

West Australian Native Plants in Cultivation differs from other books written about the subject, because this text is based on actual experience in Western Australia and its flora. The book describes the cultivation of some of the plants that grow naturally in the region. The text starts with a background of the State and its flora, with some description of these plants as being successfully grown in other parts of the country and the world. The book lists the common and botanical names of the plants for easy identification, as well as the existence of the ""Society for Growing Australian Plants,"" which keeps records of plant growth and conditions. The text then offers tips in growing these native plants. The book shows where to collect, process, store, and treat hard-coated seeds. The text then explains propagating using the seed, transplanting the seedlings, and propagating the plant by other means such as cuttings and rootings. The book does not miss on how to take care of the plant through proper watering, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, and controlling pests. The text gives other useful information such as the localities where a type of plant can be found, as well as the kinds of plants that can be grown for special purposes. Agriculturists, plant lovers, botanists, and home-makers will find this guide useful and interesting.