“A wiry, prickly shrub to about 1.5m high…” – NPOS – p.67
I didn’t know what this was when I took the photo, it stood out because there appeared to be two very different types of flower growing on the same plant. It turned out to be two similar looking plants that were intertwined. I still don’t know what the 2nd plant is.
After seeing a plaque at the wildflower garden I’m pretty sure this is a Prickly Moses, one of the many species of Wattle.
Interesting thing about many Wattles, including the Prickly Moses, is they don’t have true leaves. The green leaf like structures are actually the leaf stalks or phyllodes. The leaves themselves have disappeared in many Australian Acacias as an adaption to our hot dry climate.
I’ve fallen into a pattern of going out on an expedition on the weekend then posting the photos and descriptions during the week. This has worked well so far, starting today I’m going to post about the trips too.
The whole family went to visit Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden on Sunday. The gardens are really just a very well maintained collection of bush tracks next to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. There is a great play area for the kids, complete with semi tame wallabies that hop around. The main track we’ve been taking is sealed and easy to navigate with strolers and bikes / scooters. Many of the plants beside the track are labeled with common and scientific name, sometimes with a short description too. Perfect if you’re trying to learn to identify what you’re looking at!
Today we did the Solander Trail loop. It’s a good one for the kids, and with the stroller for Tom ( and Will when he gets tired ) it’s the only one we could really do. Jess had her scooter and was practicing gliding along with both feet off the ground. Tom was good as usual, after a feed at the playground he sat happily in the bottom of the stroller and watched the world go by. Will walked about 1/2 the distance before going in the stroller. He’s been in the wars a bit lately, he fell down the steps when we got home ( he insisted on wearing a gumboot on one foot ) I pulled a big splinter out of one of his knuckles and a little spike out of his foot tonight too.
Mid track snack - When the hunger hits they drop on the spot and eat.Jess and Will enjoyed the playgroundThere were a swarm of these on a tree in the playground.
Somtimes called the rock orchid or rock lily. There are a few of these on the rocks in the front yard (where the picture was taken). In some places they are competeing with some Agapanthus which I will remove at some stage.
“A spreading shrub 2-4m high, with crowded pine like leaves” NPOS p.103
The Pine-leaf Geebung is pretty easy to identify when in flower or fruit. The fruit is edible once it turns purpple, but whenever I’ve tried some they’ve been strongly astringent, not a good meal!
