It makes sense to grow locally native plants as they are perfectly adapted to the local soil and climate, they do not require large amounts of nutrients and, once established, little water. Whether you have a large property or a small urban block, your own garden can become an active part of an urban bush corridor that can support a host of native wildlife, and if you do it well, will also beautify the local region.
Below is a list of locally native plants that we have selected specifically for their suitability for your property. All of these plants are suited to thrive in the Wagga climate and everything flowers so they’re perfect for attracting birds and other pollinators into your backyard.
Billy Buttons (Pycnosaurus globosus)
A tufted perennial that is related to the Daisy. They like full sun and will grow well in a suburban garden, such as a rockery, or you can keep them in a pot on the veranda.
Size: Up to 0.5 metre high.
Boobialla (Myoporum)
This species produces small white flowers during spring, with fruit following shortly after. A hardy and drought tolerant.
Size: 50cm tall and 2m wide.
Bulbine lily or native leek (Bulbine bulbosa)A clumping perennial that blooms from Spring to Autumn with small yellow flowers, it prefers a sunny to part shade position and is tolerant to light frost. Is tolerant to a range of soils. Size: Under 1m tall.
Chocolate lily (Dichopogon strictus)
An excellent species for rockeries, that is suitable for full sun or part shade. It will tolerate drought and a wide range of soils. It’s common name of ‘Chocolate lily’ refers to the scent of the flowers. Size: Under 1m tall.
Club-moss daisy (Oleria lepidophylla)
An erect to spreading shrub with small white flowers with yellow or mauve to purple centres that will bloom from March to June. It requires full sun and well drained soil. Size: approx. up to 1.5m.
Common Fringe Myrtle (Calytrix Tetragona)
A bushy shrub that is easy to grow as it will tolerate light frost and is drought resistant. It produces a profusion of very small white or pink flowers clustered along arching branches in the spring. It needs well drained soil in full sun or some shade. Size can vary from 1 to 2.5m.
Cut leaf daisy (Arthropodium milleflorum)
A tuberous perennial herb that is low maintenance and frost tolerant. The flowers appear between November and February on spreading or branching stems. Size: Up to 1m tall.
Pale vanilla lily (brachyscome multifida)
A low growing perennial that will spread to form dense groundcover. It will grow in a range of soils but prefers somewhere moist, including heavy clay soil. It will grow in semi shade but when planted in full sun can flower all year. Size: approx. size to 30cm high.
Native Yam (Microseris lanceolata)
Once common and widespread in the grassy woodlands of western NSW, it is now very rare over most of its former range. Flowering from spring to autumn, it is suitable for a garden rockery and grows well in full sun to part shade, in all soil types and well-drained to dry conditions. It is drought and moderately frost tolerant. Size: Under 50cm tall.
Small-leaved mallee-pea (Eutaxia microphylla)
A low growing perennial shrub that has a profusion of small yellow and red flowers throughout spring. It prefers well drained soil and full sun, although will tolerate shaded areas and adapts to most soils.It responds well to pruning and does well in pots and rockeries. Size: approx. 30 to 40cm high.
Sticky Everlasting Daisy (Xerochrysum viscosum)
Long flowering everlasting daisy with sticky foliage to trap small insects. A hardy plant for frost areas and best in full sun. Flowers from Spring through Summer. Size: 20 to 80cm tall and 30 to 80cm wide.
Yellow buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum)
A hardy low-maintenance perennial groundcover. Silver -grey foliage with a profusion of golden button shaped flowers. Good for rockeries and containers. Size: 30cm tall and 50cm wide.
Tussock Grass (Poa labillarderi)
A perennial native Australian grass, it will grow happily in any soil, especially wetter areas. It is a cool season grass which means it holds its’ colour in the cooler months. It is a popular landscaping choice and good for rockeries. Size: Approx 1m tall and up to 2m wide.
Spreading Flax lily (Dianella revoluta)
Also known as Blueberry Lily, it’s a very hardy plant with tolerance to both extreme heat and cold. In spring to summer, it will produce small blue/purple flowers that mature to small blue coloured berries. Size: up to 1m and 1.5m around.
Mat Rush (Lomandra longifolia)
A hardy perennial ground cover that tolerates most soil types and planting conditions. It has scented yellow flowers in Winter and Spring. Size: Grows to about 1m around.
Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis)
This tussock-forming native grass acts as a great ground cover. It responds well to occasional trimming but doesn’t like to be regularly mowed. Will grow in almost any soil. Size: Up to one metre high.
Boobialla (Myoporum) This ground cover forms a thick mat of dense foliage and produces small white flowers during spring, with fruit following shortly after. A hardy species that is tolerant to both frost and drought. Size: 50cm tall and 2m wide.
Happy Wanderer (Hardenbergia violacea) A spectacular ground cover with purple pea flowers in spring and summer. Although accepting of heat, it is less adaptable to frost. Perfect for a pot or garden in urban homes. Size: 1m tall and 3m wide.
Native Fuscia (Correa ‘Dusky bells’)
A dense mounding shrub with profuse flowering from autumn through winter and on to spring. Great shrubbery plant that is a great small bird attractor. Grows in moist but well drained soil, tolerates medium frost levels and dry spells, sun to half shade. Size: Up to 1m high.
Berry Salt bush (Einadia hastata) A low shrubby perennial that produces very small succulent, bright red fruit in spring or early summer. A salt tolerant plant that is able to grow in heavy soils and prefers full sun. Size: Up to 0.5m high.
Climbing Saltbush (Einadia nutans)
A low maintenance climbing groundcover that grows in long, vine-like branches spreading out from the centre of the plant. A perennial that will tolerate dry conditions. Size: 1m tall and 3m wide.
Ruby Red Salt bush (Enchylaena tomentosa)
A hardy, low-growing shrub with fleshy green leaves. This species flowers and fruits all year round, producing red berries. It prefers full sun but will also grow in dappled shade. It handles most soil and weather conditions. Size: Up to 0.5m high.
Showy Parrot Pea (Dillwynia sericea)
An upright shrub with conspicuous yellow and red flowers that appear from late October to late February. An important understorey species that goes well beneath established trees. Prune regularly after flowering. Size: 0.5 to 1m tall.
Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa)
A small tree or large shrub that has fragrant white flowers at any time of the year but especially in Summer. It prefers full sun to light shade, is drought resistant and grows in a range of soil types. Size: Expect to about 5m high in Wagga region.
Lemon Bottlebrush (Callistemon pallidus)
An upright hardy shrub that is useful as a screen or hedge. It blooms late spring and early summer with abundant creamy-yellow flowers. An adaptable and hardy plant that prefers moist, well drained soil, is frost hardy and enjoys full sun or part shade. Size: Up to 3m high.
River Bottlebrush (Callistemon sieberi)
A fast-growing shrub/small tree with fine soft foliage that flowers in spring with multiple yellow blooms. It’s easy to grow and works well as a screen or informal hedge, or as part of a mixed border. It enjoys full sun to part shade and prefers moist soil but is very hardy and will tolerate dry periods, acidic soils and hard frosts. Can vary from a medium sized shrub around 2m to a small 7m tree.
Austral indigo (Indigofera Australis) Through spring this small to medium shrub produces spires of pea-like flowers ranging from white, pink and purple. A hardy that will grow in full sun but prefers part shade, and is tolerant to moderate frost . Size: 2m tall and 2m wide.
Prickly Teatree (Leptospermum continentale)
An upright, hardy shrub with white or pink petals from Spring to Summer. It tolerates most soils, including poorly drained areas. It can also be used for a hedge. Size: up to 2m tall.
Silver Cassia (Senna artemisioides)
An upright, hardy shrub with white or pink petals from Spring to Summer. It tolerates most soils, including poorly drained areas. It can also be used for a hedge. Size: up to 2m tall.
Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata)
There are many different types of banksia, but not only is this one is endemic to the area, it’s also the floral emblem of Wagga Wagga. A hardy, fast-growing, long-lived species that is adaptable to a variety of environmental conditions. It has a dense growth of dark green leaves that have a white underside (that can appear silvery), with large, yellow cylinder-shaped flowers that bloom from Spring to Autumn. It likes well drained soil in a sunny position; tolerates frost and dryness and appreciates mulching. Size: Can vary but typically from 2m to 4m tall
Emu Bush (Eremophila calorhabdos x denticulate) A tough shrub that grows in full sun to part shade. Has pink flowers from late Winter to Summer. Prune back hard after flowering to maintain shape. Size: approx. 2m high.
Wedge-leaved Hop Bush (Dodonea viscosa cuneata) The adaptable Hop Bush responds well to pruning and can be used as a hedging plant. It has small red flowers in spring and is both drought and frost tolerant. Size: from 1m to 3m tall.
Bent-leaf Wattle (Acacia flexifolia) An attractive dense shrub with small, silvery leaves and bright yellow blossoms in winter. The Bent Leaf Wattle is a master of adaptation and will tolerate most conditions. Size: up to 1.5m tall and 2m wide.
Gold Dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea) A fast-growing hardy shrub that flowers in Spring with a mass of golden flowers. Will grow in range of soil types and thrives in full sun or part shade and is also tolerant to frost. Size: 2 - 3 metres high and 2 metres wide.
Graceful Wattle (Acacia gracilifolia) This hardy species is adaptable to most soils and often grows in gorges and on rocky hillsides. It's common to local reserves such as Willans Hill and Silvalite and where it will blossom from April to October. It prefers a sunny position and is both drought and frost resistant. Size: 1 to 2m tall
Ploughshare Wattle (Acacia gunnii)
A woody shrub that that produces quite prickly foliage that is ideal habitat for little birds. From June to October, it has cream to pale yellow flowers. It requires a well-drained position in full sun to grow at its best and will tolerate some shade. Size: Up to 1m tall.
Silver or Showy wattle (Acacia decora)
A small erect or spreading shrub that enjoys a well-drained position. Will flower from July to September. Prune after flowering to maintain shape.Size: from 1m to 3m tall
Spreading wattle (Acacia Genistifolia)
An attractive ornamental that is very hardy and fast growing but is also quite prickly which makes it excellent habitat for small birds. From July to October, it has almost white to pale yellow flowers. It requires a well-drained position in full sun or some shade but will withstand extended wet or dry periods and frost. Size: 1-3m tall
Weeping Wattle (Acacia uncinata)
An open bush with spreading, drooping branches and unusual rounded, stem clasping foliage and bright yellow flower heads. Apart from requiring good drainage, will tolerate most conditions including prolonged dry. Size: up to 3m tall.
Wooly Wattle (Acacia lanigera)
A small erect or spreading shrub that enjoys a well-drained position. A low maintenance plant that is also frost resistant, and will flower from July to September. Prune after flowering to maintain shape. Size: from 1m to 2m tall
While this is not a comprehensive list of every locally native plant species, it is a good starting point for those who want to craft a garden for their backyard that will support native wildlife and pollinators.
If you really want to deep dive into local native species have a look at the Revegetation Guide for the Riverina.
Also, the Wagga Flora website: https://waggaflora.com/