Consider native plants
Consider native plants
Using native plants when planning your water-efficient garden can help to create a heat-tolerant and biodiverse backyard.
While often overlooked in mainstream horticulture, South Australian native plant species are water efficient, look attractive to the eye, and are adapted to the state’s soils.
Picked for you
From compact shrubs and flowering groundcover, our favourite garden worthy native plants grow best when matched with their preferred soil type and local environment:
1. Coastal settings tend to have alkaline sandy soils
2. Plains regions tend to have alkaline loam over clay
3. Hills tends to have acidic sandy loam over clay and higher rainfall
We encourage you to speak to your local nursery to find out which native plants best suit your area, or visit the Nursery and Garden Industry South Australia website.
Our guide on natives for screening and hedging can be downloaded here.
These are our top picks for the greater Adelaide region:
Species | Common Name | Lifeform | Coastal | Plains | Hills |
Kunzea pomifera | Muntries | Mat | ✓ | ||
Myoporum parvifolium (broadleaf form) | Creeping Boobialla | Mat | ✓ | ✓ | |
Scaevola albida | Fan-Flower | Mat | ✓ | ✓ | |
Pultenaea pedunculata | Matted Bush-pea | Mat | ✓ | ||
Goodenia varia | Sticky Goodenia | Groundcover | ✓ | ||
Grevillea lavandulacea ssp. lavandulacea | Heath Grevillea | Groundcover | ✓ | ||
Correa decumbens | Spreading Correa | Groundcover | ✓ | ||
Chrysocephalum apiculatum | Common Yellow Button | Herb | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Pycnosorus globosus | Billy-buttons | Herb | ✓ | ||
Mentha diemenica | Slender mint | Herb | ✓ | ||
Lepidosperma gladiatum | Coast Sword-sedge | Sedge | ✓ | ||
Lomandra multiflora ssp. dura | Iron-grass | Sedge | ✓ | ✓ | |
Patersonia occidentalis | Long Purple-flag | Sedge | ✓ | ||
Thomasia petalocalyx | Paper-flower | Shrub | ✓ | ✓ | |
Rhagodia parabolica | Fragrant Saltbush | Shrub | ✓ | ✓ | |
Grevillea ilicifolia | Holly-leaf Grevillea | Shrub | ✓ | ✓ | |
Correa glabra var. turnbullii | Smooth Correa | Shrub | ✓ | ✓ | |
Myoporum petiolatum | Sticky Boobialla | Shrub | ✓ | ✓ | |
Eucalyptus minniritchi | Minniritchi Mallee | Small tree | ✓ | ✓ | |
Allocasuarina verticillata | Drooping She-oak | Tree | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Acacia melanoxylon | Blackwood | Tree | ✓ | ✓ | |
Callitris rhomboidea | Oyster Bay Pine | Tree | ✓ |
Billy-buttons
(Pycnosorus globlus)
A drought tolerant perennial herb with striking golden globular flower heads. A great addition to dried flower arrangements,
Creeping Boobialla
(Myoporum parvifolium)
A great option to attract native butterflies, this is a hardy, lush-looking foliage ground cover plant, with small white flowers in blossom from Spring to Autumn.
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Fragrant Saltbush
(Rhagodia parabolica)
With a flagrant foliage, the heat-tolerant Rhagodia is a nice option for screening and hedging.
Holly-leaf Grevilea
(Grevilea ilicifolia)
A hardy shrub that responds well to regular pruning and attractive to native honey-eaters.
Long purple flag
(Patersonia occidentalis)
A member of the iris family with spectacular three-petaled flower from Spring to Autumn. Thrives in full sun.
Minniritchi Mallee
(Eucalyptus miniritchi)
Sourced from the far north of SA, this long-lived species is great for small gardens.
Paper flower
(Thomasia petiocalyx)
The Paper Flower is a low-spreading shrub suited to most soil types. Flowers in the warmer months with delicate, paper-like pink blooms.
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Slender mint
(Mentha diemenica)
With a flagrant foliage, the heat-tolerant Rhagodia is a nice option for screening and hedging.
Smooth correa
(Correa glabra var. turnbullii)
Growing up to 1 metre in height, this compact shrub grows crimson flowers attractive to honey-eaters.
Sticky Boobialla
(Myoporum petiolatum)
A fast-growing shrub with delicate white flowers prevalent in Spring and Summer.
Sticky Goodenia
(Goodenia varia)
With bright yellow flowers and glossy green leaves, this SA native provides a habitat for native butterflies.
