Author Archives: NPQ Townsville

Commonly known as Townsville Wattle, Acacia leptostachya thrives in dry sunny positions and typically lights up local bushland and gardens with its bright flowers around this time of year. The species is flowering particularly well at present (early July 2020) on Castle Hill (photos above and below) producing a gorgeous display amidst drying grass and […]

For a long time, this attractive large shrub has been a popular choice for native plant gardens. Right now it’s easy to see why, as specimens in Townsville gardens are currently full of flowers (mid June 2020). Neofabricia myrtifolia thrives in local gardens although it is not actually native to the Townsville area. It is […]

While the hills around Townsville are still very green, not many species are flowering or fruiting now. An attractive exception is Aidia racemosa. Its colourful fruits caught John Elliott’s attention this week (mid-May) out at Cape Cleveland, and earned it Plant of the Month status. The strongly perfumed flowers were photographed in January. See our […]

Our regular meetings and outings remain suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions. To lighten the mood we chose a Plant of the Month that represents the cause of the global pandemic. But don’t worry, the plant presents NO infection risk! Nauclea orientalis, the Leichhardt tree, was dubbed the “coronavirus tree” by our friends at the Bush […]

The flowers of Abelmoschus moschatus, very familiar as our group’s logo, are currently making a bright show on hillsides around Townsville, prompting nomination as our Plant of the Month. These plants were almost invisible during our prolonged dry season but their hardy underground tubers (below) survive in a dormant state. They quickly sprout new growth […]

The bright red fruit of Vitex melicopea, usually appearing during February in our region, make it easier to spot this otherwise rather elusive tree. More information is available on our species page for Vitex melicopea.