Salix cinerea, Pussy Willow

Salix cinerea: Pussy Willow

It is rare to see a Pussy Willow tree at all these days since most Salix species have been put on the weed list. This one was growing in the grounds of the local German Club and appeared to have been cut to the ground some years back and was regrowing as a multi-trunked specimen. It did look wonderful silhouetted against the bright spring sky. Checking out the Wikipedia info about it, there is a northern hemisphere tradition of using pussy willow as part of Easter celebrations especially on Palm Sunday.

Osteospermum ecklonis 'Nuanza Copper Purple'

Osteospermum ecklonis 'Nuanza Copper Purple'

Some forms of 'Osteo' daisies can be a bit weedy and are in full flower along roadsides and freeways at the moment. However I am loving this new colour form so just had to buy one this week.
Pruning off the old flowers, 'dead-heading', is the way to go to stop any self seeding plants from appearing where they are not wanted.

Australian King Parrot

Australian King Parrot

Not to be confused with the crimson rosella, the king parrot is scarlet rather than crimson with a red bill, and dark forest green wings, royal blue rump and black tail. As well, it is not always the farmers' friend, as the king parrot is known to raid crops and home garden fruit trees and vegetable gardens to eat anything from tomatoes, apples, pears, grapes and even freshly dug potatoes. George Caley, Sir Joseph Bank's botanical collector in the years 1800-10, reported that near Parramatta: 'When the Indian corn was ripe the king parrot may be seen in large flocks clinging to the stalks and occasioning much mischief.'

Ajuga australis

Ajuga australis
drawing:Kathleen McArthur

Native to the east coast and Tasmania, this groundcover is not readily available in the nursery trade. I have seen it growing along bush tracks in shady spots under gum trees. The flower spikes are quite striking and are just starting to appear after good winter rain. The exotic Ajuga reptans with its multitude of colours and leaf forms is a popular and hardy garden plant.

Floral fragment

Seated Scribe (Miniature Portrait of a Turkish Youth) 1479-80
Gentile Bellini, Venice 1429-1507
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

This is possibly a portrait of Sultan Djem who was a great poet and man of letters from an early age. At odds with his richly patterned and colourful clothing is the floral fragment partly erased from the wall, seen to the left of his turban.

Plant pathology:Leaf roll on Broadbeans

My broadbean crop has developed 'leaf roll' disease. This is caused by Clover stunt virus which is transmitted by the Cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora). The seed may have been infected with the virus before I planted it but the more likely cause is that I neglected this particular patch during the early months of autumn/winter and let some self sown zucchini grow and fruit, thus crowding out the developing broadbean plants. I also didn't keep up the water to them sufficiently as well. So I blame myself partly for their poor performance. This week, right on cue, black aphids made themselves at home on top of the already sick plants. What is interesting about these aphids is that they travel such great distances to get here. They migrate from western country districts (Western Slopes and Plains of New South Wales) after breeding on pasture legumes and other suitable plants , rising to the upper atmosphere and blown to the coast by north westerly or westerly winds which are common in early spring.

Aphis craccivora Cowpea Aphid(Photo: Zara Ludgate)

Happy Wattle Day

Acacia suaveolens
 Sweet Acacia (drawing by Kathleen McArthur)

I was reminded that it was Wattle Day after watching the evening news. Members of our caretaker government were wearing a sprig of wattle in their lapels. So Spring is here and it's warm, humid and a thunderstorm is forecast for tomorrow.....
This is one of my favourite wattles. It is found all along the east coast usually close to the sea. It lives up to its name by having a very sweet perfume but flowers during June/July and then forms bluish purple seed pods which are quite decorative.