Forum for indigenous terrestrial plants/trees

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by RoGe, Dec 28, 2016.

  1. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    Howzit guys, I've just bought a house with a 2000m2 garden, neighbouring a nature reserve. The garden needs work, but I'm on a budget as well (no landscaper). I look around at all the trees with their different leaf shapes and seeds, and try googling, and get absolutely nowhere with identifying what they are! I also have absolutely no clue what would be good to start planting, keeping it fully indigenous of course.

    I feel exactly like I did when I was a planted tank noob! So I'm looking for an APSA equivalent but for trees and stuff (not flower beds).. Anyone here able to recommend a local forum? I know there's quite a few clever botanist type people on here so I'm looking at you for suggestions
     
  2. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    So, epic fail - assuming that APSA equivalent forums actually exist on any topic other than cars and guns (??). The best I could find was this http://www.gardenerforum.co.za but seems to have had a serious drop-off in traffic a year ago (to basically zero).

    Soooo.. Now with my expectations significantly lowered, can anyone recommend any good web resources for identifying trees, and deciding which indigenous trees to plant? I have a feeling that I'm still gonna be going round in circles on google for a while, thinking of different synonyms for shapes of leaves.....
     
  3. epiphysis
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    epiphysis Green fingers

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    Drop a few pics on here. I'm sure some guys can id a few trees. If needs be I can go dust of my old taxonomy textbooks.
     
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  4. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    Here's some invasive weed type things
    DSC_0637.JPG DSC_0639.JPG
    Sorry, photos on full sunlight aren't the greatest..

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  5. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    Or on their side..

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  6. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    Here's some trees..
    DSC_0644.JPG DSC_0642.JPG DSC_0640.JPG

    I'm sorry if some of these are obvious, I just know so little about plants and putting 'pointy shaped spade leaf' into Google just isn't conclusive..

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  7. GordonZA
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    GordonZA Noob

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    Second to last one is a Tibouchina. Nice little tree, but it's not indigenous (think it's from Brazil).
     
  8. Clare
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    Clare Aquascaper

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    @RoGe: does the first one have thorns on the leaves and branches? If so, when I was growing up we used to pick those red seeds from the seed pods and this was a tree we called the lucky bean tree. Usually sends out red flame flowers once a year and then you get the red seed beans in brown pods.

    I just googled and there are quite a few varieties - Coral tree is one of them too. If there are no flowers, wait til they come up and then you can identify it properly.
     
  9. biotopical
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    biotopical Green fingers

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    get yourself a nice little book on indigenous plants there are tons of them.try your local 2nd hand bookshop first that's where I go first.
     
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  10. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    Thanks so much, seems Tibouchina urvilleana is the most common, yup, from Brazil. I haven't had a chance to see it flower yet, but that should confirm it.
     
  11. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    Yes, I know the lucky bean tree, we had a few next to the playground at school, those beans hurt when you throw them!

    But no, the one in my garden doesn't have thorns, I don't think it is a lucky bean tree. But thanks for the contribution! and the schoolboy memories;)
     
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  12. RoGe
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    RoGe Green fingers

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    I'm fairly sure that the third tree is a syringa tree.. If it is, it should be in my plan to remove at some stage, right?
     
  13. Dirk B
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    Dirk B Aquascaper

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    Hi Roy,

    Third tree is definitely NOT a syringa, so don't remove. First one looks like branches of a coral tree, also something nice. Second one, I concur is a Tibouchina.

    There is a yahoo group, called plant chat which is full of professionals and advanced amateurs in KZN, see plant-chat@yahoogroups.com . It is run by David Styles, whom you could also contact for advice. He could also put you in touch with someone in your area that can help.

    My sister has a completely indigenous garden in Umtunzini which is covered in birds as a result.

    Kind regards,

    Dirk
     

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