Download Plants for Play – NRM Education B = Butterfly attracting, Tr

Plants for Play – NRM Education
B = Butterfly attracting, Tr = traditional uses, Sen = Sensory, Art = Art and Craft, Tu = Tunnels/Dens
Common Name
Botanical Name
Use in Nature Play
B
Tr
Sen
Ruby Saltbush
Enchylaena tomentosa
Ideal for sensory play as colourful berries from red, purple, green, and yellow are
edible and often collected by children. Butterfly and bird attracting. Responds
well to hedging and can be shaped around paths. Foliage grey green in colour.
Leaves were boiled for greens and fruit eaten by many Aboriginal groups. Plant
40 cm apart.
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Native Lilac
Hardenbergia violacea
Ideal to climb up arches or tunnel like structures (tee pees etc.) or can grow as a
shrub. This plant will climb onto other plants if planted near them – with nothing
to climb on it will grow as a normal shrub. Ideal for attracting butterflies. Seeds
were eaten by many Aboriginal groups. Foliage dark green in colour.
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Finger Rush (or
Common/Pale Rush)
Juncus species
Leaves ideal for weaving. Attracts butterflies. Hardy. Generally prefers semi shade
or damp areas. Used by many Aboriginal groups for weaving baskets and
fish/yabby nets. Plant in groups and if wanting to use for art and craft plant
them densely so you have a sustainable patch that you can continually collect
leaves from. Will continue to grow back after being trimmed. Foliage dark to
light green.
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Clasping Goodenia
Goodenia amplexans
Ideal for sensory play. Large light green sticky leaves, very aromatic when
touched. Ideal for year-round aroma. Distinctive yellow flowers attract butterflies
and a range of other native insects. Plant in dense groups around 50 cm apart.
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Coast Daisy-bush (or
Twiggy Daisy-bush)
Olearia axillaris (or Olearia
ramulosa)
Ideal for cubbies and tunnels but will need some trimming to encourage shape.
Can be hedged. Inconspicuous flowers. Foliage of O. ramulosa is green with
white underneath leaves. Foliage of O. axillaris is striking silver as it is coastal
plant and reflects sunlight. Best planted together at the rear of a garden or in a
maze area. Plant 1 metre apart when wanting tunnels.
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Art
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Tu
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Plants for Play – NRM Education (cont)
B = Butterfly attracting, Tr = traditional uses, Sen = Sensory, Art = Art and Craft, Tu = Tunnels/Dens
Common Name
Botanical Name
Use in Nature Play
Pigface/Karkalla
Carpobrotus rossii
Ideal for making pretend food and squeezing out moisture. Leaves are leathery
and succulent. Flowers bright pink and develop into a bright red edible fruit.
Aboriginal groups boiled leaves, ate fruit, and used moisture as an ointment to
treat skin conditions. Ideal for pots and grows in sand (or most other soils).
Sticky Hop-bush
Dodonaea viscosa
Ideal for tunnels and collecting papery seed pods for imaginative play. Despite
their name they are not sticky – they simply look it. Best planted together at the
rear of a garden or in a maze area. Plant 1 metre apart when wanting tunnels.
Some minimal trimming will be required. Foliage glossy green, papery seed pods
green and ripen to red.
Kangaroo Grass
Themeda triandra
Ideal for attracting caterpillars and sustaining a butterfly life cycle. Seed pods can
be used for imaginative play. As with many grasses the seeds were ground up to
make damper by many Aboriginal groups. Grasses are best planted in isolated
areas in the garden as they don’t have year-round texture (seed pods are copper
red and can add colour). Flowers are not colourful as they are wind pollinated
and don’t need to attract birds and bees.
Flax-lilies
Dianella species
Cushion Bush
Leucophyta brownii
B
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Tr
Sen
Art
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Ideal for imaginative play as dried flower stalks can be used for wands or art and
craft. Great for making trails or lining paths. Aboriginal groups ate the fruit and
used the leaves as string like fibre for baskets and for medicinal use. Leaves
green (D. brevicaulis) or grey green (D. revoluta). For best results plant along
paths 40 cm apart and 30 cm from edge of path. These plants can also be
divided as they grow from bulbs.
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Ideal for textural and sensory play. Stems are white and slightly rough to touch.
In full sun will grow ‘cushion like’ and the silver foliage contrasts well against
green foliage. For ideal results plant 30 cm apart in groups. Responds well to
pruning. Ideal for making circles or patterns in the garden. Good for fairy
gardens.
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Tu
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