Urban Landscape Plantings: A Selection of Plant Species Suitable for the Melbourne Airport and Surrounding Environs.

1. U RBAN
L ANDSCAPE
P LANTINGS
A selection of plant species
suitable for the Melbourne
Airport and surrounding
environs.

2. Melbourne Airport
Urban Landscape Plantings
Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................3
A Guide to Using This Booklet......................................................................4
Tolerances....................................................................................................4
Drought Tolerance....................................................................................4
Sun Tolerance ..........................................................................................5
Pictorial Species List .....................................................................................7
Trees ............................................................................................................7
Agonis flexuosa ........................................................................................7
Allocasuarina verticillata ...........................................................................8
Geijera parvifolia.......................................................................................9
Gleditsia triacanthos ...............................................................................10
Shrubs ........................................................................................................11
Cotinus coggygria...................................................................................11
Bursaria spinosa.....................................................................................12
Westringia fruticosa ................................................................................13
Prostanthera lasianthos..........................................................................14
Senna artemisoides................................................................................15
Abelia spp...............................................................................................16
Correa alba.............................................................................................17
Artemisia spp..........................................................................................18
Eramophila nivea....................................................................................19
Ground Covers and Climbing Plants ..........................................................20
Convolvulus cneorum .............................................................................20
Hibbertia spp. .........................................................................................21
Lomandra longifolia ................................................................................22
Hardenbergia violacea............................................................................23
Produced by..................................................................................................24
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3. Melbourne Airport
Urban Landscape Plantings
Introduction
The presence of bird populations surrounding Melbourne Airport is a potential hazard to
aircraft. The occurrence of ‘birdstrike’ to planes can cause significant damage and have
potentially catastrophic outcomes. One method of minimising the possibility of birdstrike is
to consider the vegetation that is planted in the vicinity of the airport.
This booklet contains a list of plant species that have very few bird attracting qualities. All
species included are also suited to the environmental conditions of the Melbourne Airport
and surrounding areas.
Considering species selection when planting in proximity to the airport is an important factor
in minimising the potential for birdstrike.
This booklet contains a pictorial list of 17 tree, shrub or ground cover/climbing species.
Botanical plant names listed with the suffix ‘spp’ is a reference to the entire genus. For
example, all Hibbertia spp. exhibit similar qualities and are therefore suitable for planting
within the Melbourne Airport area.
Plant details such as size and tolerances are included to aid in the decision of what to plant
where. Any relevant cultivars have also been included where appropriate as well as the
origin of the species being either Exotic, Australian native, Victorian native or indigenous.
Specifically, this means:
Exotic – The plant has been introduced into Australia
Australian Native – The plant is native to Australia
Victorian Native – The plant occurs naturally in Victoria
Indigenous – The plant occurs naturally within 30km of the surrounding airport area.
Further suitable species are listed in the Melbourne Airport revised planting document.
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4. Melbourne Airport
Urban Landscape Plantings
A Guide to Using This Booklet
Tolerances
Plant species display tolerances to environmental conditions due to adaptations to their
natural environment. This is why indigenous plant species often perform better than exotic
or native species from other parts of the country or the world.
Where species have evolved in similar conditions to that of our own, some of the same
tolerances are displayed.
Melbourne’s environment is best described as ‘cool temperate’ and specific soil conditions
in the Melbourne Airport area are predominantly low nutrient clays with some smaller
pockets of shallow sands on clay substrata. Species tolerances must therefore consider
both the above and below ground requirements of the plant.
Drought Tolerance
Establishing plants in urban environments can be difficult. It is likely that all plants will
require some level of irrigation in the first few years of establishment, and potentially
intermittently for the rest of their life, dependant on specific water requirements. It should be
noted however, that many plant species can become stressed in the absence of water and
still survive long periods of extended drought.
Drought tolerance is described from “Poor” to “Very Good”.
Plants with ‘Poor’ drought tolerance are likely to require intermittent to regular
supplementary irrigation throughout much of their life in order to maintain a healthy canopy
of foliage and prevent premature death.
Plants with ‘Moderate’ drought tolerance are likely to require summer irrigation through
periods of drought.
Plants with ‘Moderate to Good’ tolerance are likely to display signs of stress after relatively
short periods of drought, though will tolerate extended periods of drought.
Plants with ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ tolerance are not likely to require any supplementary
irrigation once established and tolerate long to very long periods of drought.
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5. Melbourne Airport
Urban Landscape Plantings
Sun Tolerance
The level of sun exposure a plant receives can influence the growth rates and affect plant
health. Many species that are adapted to high light levels will not grow well in over
shadowed locations. Conversely, some plant species cannot tolerate direct sunlight, and
produce symptoms such as scorched leaves when sun exposure is too great.
A plant’s leaf design can often indicate its tolerance to sun. Glossy and often larger leaves
are adapted to absorb as much sun as possible in limited light conditions, while small,
sometimes hairy or glaucus (grey/green) leaves are adapted to minimise sun exposure.
Figure 1: Dark, glossy leaves of the Rubber Tree Figure 2: Small, vertically aligned, leathery leaves
can tolerate low light conditions of eucalypt trees are adapted to high sun exposure
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6. Melbourne Airport
Urban Landscape Plantings
Compaction Tolerance
Urban conditions are the most difficult conditions for plant growth. Soil environments are
often highly disturbed in comparison to natural, undisturbed soils. The most inhibiting factor
for root growth and therefore establishment is the effect of compaction.
Soil compaction can be extremely detrimental because:
• it changes soil conditions dramatically
• the plant’s root system does not have enough time to adapt to the changed conditions.
• It can lead to a decline in plant health and even death.
Water infiltration into the soil horizon takes a lot longer. It also inhibits or prevents gas
exchange between the roots and the atmosphere.
Continuous pedestrian traffic, cars and trucks can all cause soil compaction, effectively
starving roots in that area of water and oxygen. See Figures 3 and 4.
The application of mulch can help alleviate to the problem of compaction and over time
improve soil structure.
Figure 3: Water movement and gas exchange under Figure 4: Water movement and gas exchange under
normal conditions. changed conditions.
Water infiltration
INHIBITED
evaporation
gas exchange between
gas exchange between
Water movement and
Water movement and
infiltration
soil and atmosphere
soil and atmosphere
Water
Water
evaporation
Water
Compacted soil profile
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7. Agonis flexuosa
Botanical Name Agonis flexuosa
Common Name Willow Myrtle
Life Form Medium Tree—Evergreen
Origin Australian Native
Dimensions 10m x 6m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Poor
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Street or park tree
Comments Cultivars include Agonis ‘After
Dark’ (Main picture and below inset)
and Agonis ’Burgendy’.
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8. Allocasuarina verticillata
Botanical Name Allocasuarina verticillata
Common Name Drooping She-Oak
Life Form Medium Tree—Evergreen
Origin Indigenous
Dimensions 10m x 10m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Average
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Open Street or park tree
Comments
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9. Geijera parvifolia
Botanical Name Geijera parvifolia
Common Name Wilga
Life Form Small Tree—Evergreen
Origin Australian Native
Dimensions 9m x 6m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Street or park tree
Comments
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10. Gleditsia triacanthos
Botanical Name Gleditsia triacanthos
Common Name Honey Locust
Life Form Medium Tree—Deciduous
Origin Exotic
Dimensions 15m x 8m
Drought Tolerance Good
Growth Rate Fast to 10m
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Good
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Avenue or feature tree
Comments G.triacanthos ‘Limegold’ is consid-
ered a superior specimen to
‘Sunburst’. Cultivars are generally
smaller specimens to 10m.
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11. Cotinus coggygria
Botanical Name Cotinus coggygria
Common Name Smoke Bush
Life Form Large Shrub — Deciduous
Origin Exotic
Dimensions 4m x 4m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Small feature tree
Comments Interesting floral display.
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12. Bursaria spinosa
Botanical Name Bursaria spinosa
Common Name Sweet Bursaria
Life Form Small tree/large shrub
Status Indigenous
Dimensions 6mx2m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Medium to Fast
Sun Tolerance Sun to semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Very Good
Bird/Bat Attracting No
Common Uses Can be grown as a shrub or pruned
into a single stemmed feature tree.
Comments Can be prickly.
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13. Westringia fruticosa
Botanical Name Westringia fruticosa
Common Name Native Rosemary
Life Form Shrub
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions 3m x 4m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Medium to Fast
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Moderate to Good
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Can be clipped to a small hedge or
grown as a screening hedge.
Comments Keep clipped to maintain compact
growth.
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14. Prostanthera lasianthos
Botanical Name Prostanthera lasianthos
Common Name Australian Christmas Bush/Mint Bush
Life Form Small Tree/Large Shrub
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions 6m x 4m
Drought Tolerance Good
Growth Rate Moderate to Fast
Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Good
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Screening.
Comments Foliage has a minty scent
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15. Senna artemisioides
Botanical Name Senna artemisioides
Common Name Silver Cassia
Life Form Small shrub — Evergreen
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions 2m x 3m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Moderate to fast
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Low shrub
Comments Keep clipped to maintain compact
habit.
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16. Abelia x grandiflora
Botanical Name Abelia x grandiflora
Common Name Abelia
Life Form Shrub—Evergreen
Status Exotic
Dimensions 3m x 4m
Drought Tolerance Medium to Good
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat Attracting No
Common Uses Shrub/low screen
Comments Other Abelia species are also
appropriate.
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17. Correa alba
Botanical Name Correa alba
Common Name White Correa
Life Form Medium Shrub
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions 1.5m x 2.5m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Medium to Fast
Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Very Good
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Used for garden borders or edging.
Can be shaped into a low hedge.
Comments Responds to pruning.
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18. Artemisia spp.
Botanical Name Artemisia arborscens
Common Name Tree Wormwood
Life Form Shrub
Status Exotic
Dimensions 1.5m x 2m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat Attracting No
Common Uses Low shrub. Garden beds. Low screen
Comments Other Artemisia species include A.
calafornica and A. ‘Powis Castle’.
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19. Eremophila nivea
Botanical Name Eremophila nivea
Common Name Silky Eremophila
Life Form Small shrub — Evergreen
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions 2m x 2m
Drought Tolerance Good
Growth Rate Medium to fast
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Good
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Low shrub or border
Comments Excellent foliage and floral display.
Keep clipped to maintain compact
growth
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20. Convolvulus cneorum
Botanical Name Convolvulus cneorum
Common Name Silver Bush
Life Form Ground cover — Evergreen
Origin Exotic
Dimensions 600mm x 900mm
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Ground cover, borders or edging
Comments A very tough plant that will tolerate
most soil conditions except boggy or
waterlogged.
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21. Hibbertia spp.
Botanical Name Hibbertia scandens
Common Name Snake Vine
Life Form Creeper, climber, groundcover
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions Climbs to 4m x 2m
Drought Tolerance Good
Growth Rate Moderate to Fast
Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Tolerates a wide range of urban
conditions.
Comments
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22. Lomandra longifolia
Botanical Name Lomandra longifolia
Common Name Spiney-headed Mat-rush
Life Form Clump forming herb
Origin Indigenous
Dimensions 0.5m x 0.75m
Drought Tolerance Moderate to Good
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Compaction Tolerance Very Good
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Planting beds and road sides.
Comments Many cultivars growing to different
heights are available.
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23. Hardenbergia violacea
Botanical Name Hardenbergia violacea
Common Name Purple Coral Pea, False Sarsaparilla
Life Form Creeper, climber, groundcover
Origin Victorian Native
Dimensions Climbs to 5m x 2m
Drought Tolerance Very Good
Growth Rate Moderate to Fast
Sun Tolerance Sun to Semi-shade
Compaction Tolerance Not Known
Bird/Bat/Insect Attracting No
Common Uses Good screening plant or informal
groundcover.
Comments ‘Happy Wanderer’ and ‘Mini Haha’ are
good ground cover varieties.
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24. Melbourne Airport
Urban Landscape Plantings
Produced by
Australia Pacific Airports
In Association with
Homewood Consulting Pty. Ltd.
23 Worrell Street
Nunawading Vic 3131
mail@homewood.com.au
Ph: 03 9877 4114
Fax: 03 9877 4114
Document prepared by:
Liam Costello
Bachelor of Horticulture
Advanced Diploma Horticulture (Arboriculture)
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