© 2024 The Illawarra Flame
1 min read
Tree of the month: Corkwood

Endiandra sieberi (Corkwood) can be easily confused with the Cryptocarya microneura (Murrogun) because of the yellow central vein, but the vein is not so conspicuous. It has the familiar cork-like bark, hence the name. It has flowers in the forks of the leaves and a black fruit.

It grows on the plateau west of Stanwell Park, but was not one that regenerated of its own accord in the Stanwell Avenue Reserve. One Corkwood was planted in the circle in 2018 and is progressing slowly, like most rainforest trees.

We had to protect it against deer by putting a cage around it.

Banksia Bushcare News

The heavy rainfall and the compost nests have contributed to growth spurts on all the planted and naturally regenerating trees. It has also encouraged a lot more weed growth.

We have cleared the last remnant Lantana patch at the end of Station Street and planted it out with Syzygium australe (Brush Cherry) and Podocarpus elatus (Plum Pine), two local native fruit trees.

For ground covers, we have planted Tetragonia tetragonioides (Warrigal Green), which can be cooked and eaten like spinach, and Dianella caerulea (Blue Flax Lilly), which is not edible, but has attractive blue flowers.