Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• South American poinsettias largely originate from Mexico and South American
tropical forests and feature a range of coloured bracts (Barrett et al. 2009 ).
• Australian wildflowers include Geraldton waxflower (  Chamelaucium uncina-
tum ), Hooker's banksia (  Banksia hookeriana ), the red kangaroo paw (  Anigo-
zanthos rufus ), Qualup bell (  Pimelea physodes ), scaevolas (  Scaevola aemula ),
leschenaultia (  Lechenaultia biloba ) and the Cootamundra wattle (  Acacia bai-
leyana ) (Horlock et al. 2000 ; Seaton 2005 ; Anon 2013a ).
• South African flora include the proteas (  Proteaceae ), the restios (  Restionaceae ),
cape grasses and reeds, and lachenalia (  Lachenalia spp.).
• New Zealand species include the foxglove (  Hebe spp.) and the New Zealand
teatree (  Leptospermum scoparium ).
• Western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia includes
the European holly (Ilex aquifolium) which is drought and frost tolerant
down to −15 °C.
In developing new plants for use by people for different places, opportunities exist
to select from a diverse range of new plants from warm temperate and arid regions
in Australia and South Africa when compared to well used tropical and sub-tropical
ornamentals. Plants from these areas have evolved by adapting to a range of differ-
ent and often harsh habitats of temperature, humidity, salinity, soil water limitations
and space. In doing so they have produced some unusual plant forms, flower shapes
and colours such as the Australian Qualup bell (  Pimelea physodes ) with has en-
larged burgundy coloured bracts (Fig. 12.3 ), the smoke bush (  Conospermum spp.)
with smoky grey racemes, Oleria (  Helichrysum spp.) with grey green soft foli-
age tolerant of coastal environments, the paper daisy (  Helichrysum bracteatum )
with large golden daisy flowers, Atriplex saltbush with glaucous spongy jagged
leaves, the desert eremophila (  Eremophila glabra ) which is covered in white dense
hairs and the diverse range of eucalyptus species with interesting fruit such as the
mottlecah (  Eucalyptus macrocarpa ) with large showy red flowers and large white
leathery leaves, the large red compound bracts of the waratah (  Telopea speciosissi-
ma ) and the small tough leathery leaves of the drought and frost tolerant rice flower
(  Ozothamnus diosmifolius ). Also of interest are the large red flowers of the South
African proteas (  Proteacea family) with highly developed colourful bracts such as
the King protea (  Protea cynaroides ).
In terms of the value of ornamental plant species to the consumer, their suit-
ability and selection depends on their marketability and ability to adapt to dif-
ferent climates and habitats as well as conditions imposed by the man-made city
environment. By careful plant selection and manipulation of the soil media and
environmental conditions in the glasshouse it has been possible to grow an increas-
ing number of plant species in locations distant to their origin where they perform
well as ornamental plants. This has allowed the transference of germplasm globally
to regions where these plants would not normally survive and give people the op-
portunity of enjoying the rich diversity of another country's native plants in their
everyday lives.
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