What's flowering in the gardens?

See the range of colourful natives growing in the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens.

Dillenia alata, commonly known as Red Beech or Golden Guinea Tree is flowering in the Tropical Shade Garden. Red Beech is a small to medium tree with a beautiful flaky, papery trunk, becoming maroon with age. The large, dark green glossy leaves with its yellow flowers (which have red centres) make this an attractive shade tree for your garden. You will see this tree on display as you enter the Tropical Shade Garden.

Melastoma malabathricum subsp. malabathricum, commonly known as Native Lasiandra or Blue Tongue is flowering in the Finch Hatton Waterway garden, near the cafe. It is commonly grown as an ornamental for its large pinkish flowers and rough textured foliage. It is a bushy shrub and is suited to loam or clay soils, growing in full sun to part shade for ideal growth. This is one of the plants first recorded by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander between June and August 1770 and is one of the many plants highlighted in the Botanic Endeavour 250 self-guided walk brochure.

Ixora timorensis, commonly known as Native Ixora is flowering in the Torres Strait Islands Garden. Native Ixora is a shrub growing to about 2m high with small panicles of white flowers between summer and autumn. It naturally occurs in QLD in littoral rainforest.

Lagunaria queenslandica is an attractive flowering tree species growing to 20 m high. It is endemic to Queensland and at first glance closely resembles Hibiscus to which it is related. It is naturally found along seasonally dry creeks primarily from near Mackay north to Townsville. You can find it on display in the Acclimitisation Garden, near Heritage Gardens.

Barringtonia calyptrata, commonly known as Mango Pine is flowering now in the Torres Strait Islander garden - Western Islands section. Mango Pine is a tall deciduous tree with dense foliage. It can grow up to 30m high where it naturally occurs, but is a smaller, open tree when found in drier areas. Its flowers carry a musky, honey-fragrance that are rich in nectar during the flowering season.

Contact: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Phone: (07) 4952 7300

Email: botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au