A flowering tree can make a wonderful feature in your garden. Either native or exotic, South-East Queensland is fortunate to have some great choices available to us that thrive in our subtropical climate. Read on for some of our favourites for a Brisbane garden.
A flowering tree can provide a colourful focal point, an architectural form that complements a contemporary style home, and can provide shade and protection from the sun.
Native species provide important habitat for our local wildlife and will attract birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators into your garden.
Choose the right tree for your space by checking the size at maturity as well as the type of root system. A large tree with an invasive root system will be better in a large garden or acreage property than a small suburban back yard.
If you’re looking for advice on the best plants for your garden, give me a call, I’d love to help.
Hymenosporum flavum (Native Frangipani)
A Queensland rainforest native, this beautiful tree has deep green glossy foliage and loads of fragrant flowers during Spring and Summer. Cream coloured flowers gradually darken to golden yellow before dropping and attract native birds and bees. It’s excellent for a full sun position and a great choice if a more dappled shade is required or when you want to screen a view without completely blocking it.
Although it will reach 8-10m in height, it has a fairly narrow habit, making it worth considering for spaces where a narrow plant is required.
Native Frangipanis make a wonderful feature tree and would look fabulous in a tropical or native setting. It would also complement a green and silver foliage palette.
Image via Pinterest
Syzygium wilsonii-luehmanii (Cascade Lilly Pilly)
The Cascade Lilly Pilly is a very popular native Lilly Pilly. This small tree or large shrub has mid-green foliage with red or pink flushes of new growth and pink ‘powder-puff’ flowers, followed by pink berries, which are edible. It has an attractive ‘weeping’ habit and forms a good screen – it’s great for establishing privacy. It can also be hedged…
Good for narrow situations – around 2m wide and less if pruned, although this is not essential. It will grow to around 3m. If you have a small backyard or a narrow space to fill, this could be worth considering.
Elaeocarpus reticulatus ‘Prima Donna’ (Blueberry Ash)
This tree is another Queensland rainforest native that is suitable for an average sized suburban backyard. The Blueberry Ash is small but fast-growing and should get to around 6m in height. It’s a great option if you are wanting to establish a screen and it can also be used as a hedge. It has glossy green leaves which are reddish-pink when young and in Spring it flowers prolifically with pale pink bell-shaped flowers. A darker pink version called ‘Dark Pink Elly’ is also available. The flowers give way to blue berries, which are bird attracting, hence the name. This tree is great for year-round interest.
Tabebuia palmeri (Pink Trumpet Tree)
This is a really attractive tree that has beautiful pink trumpet shaped flowers. Tabebuia trees are often used as street trees in Brisbane and so will be familiar to many. They’re right up there with Jacarandas in terms of both size and floral display. They will reach around 10m in a residential situation, so this is one for a larger sized yard. Tabebuias are an exotic species from South America. They are deciduous, so expect some leaf drop during winter but will then burst into flower with stunning pink trumpet shaped flowers in late Winter and Spring. A dryer winter will generally produce a better flowering. It has a non-invasive root system.
Melicope elleryana (Pink Euodia)
This is another native Queensland rainforest tree. The wonderful glossy evergreen foliage and large clusters of wildlife-attracting pink flowers make it a great addition to a native garden. These are a tall tree to around 8m, with an open branching habit and a rounded canopy. They’re quick to establish and will usually flower within the first three years during summer, attracting lorikeets, butterflies and other insects.
Lagerstroemia indica (Crepe Myrtle)
Crepe myrtles are an old favourite and for good reason! This is a deciduous, medium sized tree that loves a position in full sun and is very heat tolerant, once established.
Crepe Myrtles come in a variety of sizes, cultivars and colours. ‘Natchez’ is a white flowering tree that will reach 8m. It’s an exotic ornamental that can suit many different garden styles and situations, from formal to cottage garden styles. It looks fabulous as an avenue planting up a driveway. Other colours range from hot pinks to mauves, which are equally as gorgeous. Although they are deciduous, their bark is considered very beautiful as well and makes a nice winter accent in the garden.
Corymbia ficifolia (Dwarf Flowering Gum)
An evergreen native that makes a great feature tree. The Dwarf Flowering Gum will grow to around 6m, has large glossy green leaves and has a stunning display of flowers throughout the Summer months, which are then followed by gum nuts. This is a hybrid cultivar and there are now a number of varieties and colours, from reds to pinks and oranges, all of which attract honey eaters and bees. A low maintenance option, they need minimal pruning to keep their shape. It will enjoy a full sun position and prefers well-drained soil.
Plumeria rubra (Frangipani)
Frangipanis have long been a favourite and are a real staple in tropical settings. With so many colours to choose from, they can bring a real injection of vibrancy into your garden. They have deep green glossy foliage and loads of fragrant flowers during Spring and Summer. They’re excellent in a full sun position and will reach around 6m. They’re also great in a container by the pool!
Banksia integrifolia (Coastal Banksia)
One for coastal gardeners! This well-known native has distinctive flowers that are cylindrical in shape, throughout autumn and winter. Attractive foliage is dark green with a silver underside and leathery. Seed pods are long lasting and darken from silvery-green to dark brown. This tree is tolerant of most growing conditions. Fantastic as a feature tree and makes a good wind-break in a coastal garden. It’s also bird attracting. It averages 5-15m in height.
Buckinghamia celsissima (Ivory Curl Tree)
This is an excellent small native tree for a suburban garden. It has a great shape to it and a lovely canopy. They’ll get to around 8m in a suburban setting, making them perfect as a feature tree and a great choice if you’re looking for a small to medium tree.
Their dark glossy leaves combined with the creamy-white flower spikes make this one of the most beautiful native trees. It’s cream-coloured flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators as well as nectar eating birds.
