Australian Natives I BHT113

Gain knowledge about Australian native tree species. This course first teaches you about different types of Australian flora, plant identification, information sources, planting, feeding, soils, pests & diseases, watering, propagation and transplanting. The remaining lessons then deal with selected varieties of trees, windbreak planting, agroforestry, tree maintenance and tree selection.

Australia has one of the oldest and most diverse varieties of plants of an country. Australian natives come from tropical areas to cold temperate snow covered mountains, and from inland deserts to fertile wet rainforests. Develop your ability to identify, select, cultivate and plan a management program, for appropriate varieties of Australian native plants, in a wide variety of situations. This is relevant to not only Australia, but most parts of the world.

There are nine lessons as follows:

1. Introduction: Review of the system of plant identification, general characteristics of Australian flora, information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs), review of major Australian plant families.
2. Cultural Techniques: Planting, staking, mulching, watering, pest & disease, feeding, pruning, protection from wind, salt air, mounds and raised beds, containers.
3. Eucalypts
4. Native Trees: Casuarina, Brachychiton, Tristania, Angophora, Callitris, Araucaria, Palms, etc.
5. Acacias
6. Melaleucas, Callistemons and Leptospermums
7. Grevilleas: concentrated study of 25 species
8. Ground Cover and Small Shrubs
9. Commercial Applications

EXAMPLES OF THINGS YOU MAY DO:

• Compile a series of plant reviews with information on each plant variety, such as:
• Common Name, Plant Family, Genus & Species names, Variety (if applicable), Height, Width, Soil requirements, Environmental requirements, Cultural procedures (eg. propagation and pruning), Pest and disease susceptibility
• Visit nurseries and/or gardens and observe Australian plants
• Classify most significant cultivated native plants, to the family level.
• Determine cultural practices to maintain healthy native plants.
• Explain the identification and culture of eucalypts in your locality.
• Explain the identification and culture of native trees.
• Explain the identification and culture of acacias in your locality.
• Explain the identification and culture of native shrubs, including species of Acacia, Melaleuca, Callistemon and Leptospermum.
• Explain the identification and culture of different Proteaceous native plants, with particular emphasis on the genus Grevillea.
• Explain the identification and culture of a range of Australian Native ground covers and
• small shrubs.
• Determine commercially viable applications for different native plants.

Lesson Structure

There are 9 lessons.

1. Introduction
   • Review of the system of plant identification, general characteristics of Australian flora, information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs), review of major Australian plant families.
2. Cultural Techniques
   • Planting, staking, mulching, watering, pest & disease, feeding, pruning, protection from wind, salt air, mounds and raised beds, containers.
3. Eucalypts
4. Native Trees: Casuarina, Brachychiton, Tristania, Angophora, Callitris, Araucaria, Palms, etc.
5. Acacias
6. Melaleucas, Callistemons and Leptospermums
7. Grevilleas: concentrated study of 25 species
8. Ground Cover and Small Shrubs
9. Commercial Applications

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school\'s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

What The Course Covers

Here are some of the things you will do in this course:

Classify most significant cultivated native plants, to the family level.

Determine cultural practices to maintain healthy native plants.

Explain the identification and culture of eucalypts in your locality.

Explain the identification and culture of native trees.

Explain the identification and culture of acacias in your locality.

Explain the identification and culture of native shrubs, including species of Acacia, Melaleuca, Callistemon and Leptospermum

Explain the identification and culture of different Proteaceous native plants, with particular emphasis on the genus Grevillea.

Explain the identification and culture of a range of Australian Native ground covers and small shrubs.

Determine commercially viable applications for different native plants.

Compile a series of plant reviews with information on each plant variety, such as:

• Common Name
• Plant Family, Genus& Species names
• Variety (if applicable)
• Height
• Width
• Soil requirements
• Environmental requirements
• Cultural procedures (eg. propagation and pruning)
• Pest and disease susceptibility