Usually it’s towards the end of the year that the lists
start to circulate – favourite this, top 100 that, best this, best that. At
Mckays Seeds we like to get ours in early to avoid saturation and with spring well
and truly upon us, without further ado we are happy to roll out our list of top five Australian native grasses.
Why
Native grass?
We live in a country that is known for its extreme
weather conditions – hot and dry or biting cold winds or chill in the South, and
balmy and humid in the North and West.
So, why would we encourage Australians to consider
native grasses?
Fundamentally, they are far better suited to the
Australian climate, are drought tolerant, need less
water than exotic or foreign species, will adapt to the surrounds
naturally, be healthier and prosper accordingly. They will also benefit the local wildlife and the
environment.
Did you know?
Native grasses were also grown by Australia’s first
people.
It is a little known fact that Aboriginal people prior
to white settlement cultivated native plants and milled the grass to make flour, to show how the native grain can be
used to make bread.
Evidence had been found in agrindstone discovered at an archaeological site in New South Wales
that was shown to have been used to grind seeds into starch for cooking more
than 30,000 years ago.
Bunurong
man, historian and author Bruce Pascoe says that, ‘native Australian grasses
and plants only need the available moisture that
Australia provides and only need the available fertility and they're adapted to
Australian pests.’
Australian
native grasses are best suited to?
While Australian native grasses are incredibly robust,
the climate and your location will determine how well they will thrive and it
is important that you conduct research to match the grass to your environment
and climate. We have saved you the time and compiled our top five list of Australian
native grasses, categorised by climate, location and uses.
For the
Northerners: Warm Climate = warm season grass
For warmer parts of
the country, season grass will be the answer. These grow in periods of warm
weather, and will go dormant and lose colour when exposed to the cold.
1. Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra)
Where
does it grow?
Where doesn’t it grow?Kangaroo grass will grow in just about
every conceivable location of Australia - from the desert to the Alps! It reaches
a height of 40-90cm, and is able to be mown down to a high lawn height of
8-10cm. If mowing isn’t your thing, you’ll be happy to know that you won’t have
to mow more than a couple of times a year.
Best used for:Landscaping, revegetation – use as an ornamental feature in your rockeries,
as part of a native habitat garden or can be grown in a more formal garden for
its interesting colour and texture.
2. Redgrass (Bothriochloa macra) – it’s
called redgrass because it’s red.
Where does it grow?
Redgrass
is a reddish green blade
that will happily grow in coastal areas and tableland and
naturally grows low.
Redgrass is drought
tolerant. It’s roots grow rapidly and can grow up to 1.5 metres below the soil
surface and can reach a height
of 10cm. Redgrass won’t cope well with cold snaps and frosts,
but will grow under low
fertility conditions and responds positively to grazing and mowing.
Best used for: ornamental for landscaping, soil
conservation,soil conservation in heavily grazed areas in summer,
as well as on degraded sites and river banks. Redgrass has been
used successfully in light roughs in golf courses, as well as lawns and in
rehabilitation.
3. Wallaby Grass (Austrodanthonia
caespitose) – the quintessential
Aussie battler
Where does it grow?
Wallaby grass has the enviable quality of being one of
the most robust, tough and durable Australian native grasses and will grow in
all temperate climates across Australia. It is drought and frost tolerant, will also thrive in poor
soil, andwill grow without the need for irrigation -
no matter how harsh the summer has been.
Best used for: trapping
silt and impurities in streams and for stabilising creek, landscaping, revegetation, pasture, and
horticulture.
4. Weeping
Grass (Microlaena stipoides or
Ehrharta stipoides) –it
even looks like grass
Where will it grow?
While weeping grass is perfect for cooler climates and
thrives in wetter areas of the country, it is another tough and durable campaigner
and is drought, frost, salt and acid tolerant.
Weeping grass is able to be mown to any height and
will result in a thick mat-like surface, and requires little maintenance.
Best used for:roadsides, municipal parks and gardens domestic lawns,
golf course roughs, pastures in acid soils of moderate to high rainfall and
revegetation in conjunction with other native grasses.
5. Spear Grass (Austrostipa
spp.) – so durable it even stands in the way of fire
Where does it grow?
Spear grass should be known as super grass for its
durability and ability to resist grass fires. It is better suited to tropical and subtropical areas and is another summer-growing
grass.
It will grow to approximately I metre, has an extremely high drought and heat tolerance, and
has a high tolerance to poor condition soil.
Best used for:Landscaping,
Revegetation, Horticulture, and will make an attractive
feature.
For
more direction on how to maintain your Australian native grass, check out our
blog on Growing a hardy and Beautiful Native Grass.