It's always enjoyable to look around and see what local native plants are in flower. Right now, there's such a floristic bounty on display it's hard to choose a single plant to appreciate or to feature here. But my heart's always gone out to the Branching Grass-flag (Libertia paniculata), a small strap-leaved plant in the Iris family (Iridaceae) that right now is covered in the prettiest little white flowers. So Branching Grass-flag gets a turn this week.
It occurs along the escarpment, generally in damp spots in wet sclerophyll forest dominated by tall eucalypts. I've seen it recently on Bulli Pass, flowering well, which makes it a lot more conspicuous than at other times of year.
Branching Grass-flag would be a wonderful addition to cottage gardens or edging beds in shady conditions. It is known to attract a range of butterflies, though I don't yet have any photos showing particular species visiting.
For anyone who believes that it's hard to find plants that will grow underneath eucalypts, this is an excellent option as long as there is a bit of shade and moisture available.
This plant is fairly widely available these days, particularly thanks to the Wollongong Botanic Garden GreenPlan Nursery, which has been cultivating it for a number of years.
Emma Rooksby is the coordinator of Growing Illawarra Natives
