Native plants help damaged landscapes by stabilizing soil, fighting invasive species and sheltering pollinators. Two horticulture experts explain what they’re doing to help develop new seed sources.
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Articles on Native plants
Displaying 1 - 20 of 52 articles
They’re beautiful in bloom, but Callery pear trees crowd out native plants and turn productive open land into woody thickets.
Plant breeders must now engage with kaitiaki if special relationships with a plant have been asserted. But Māori have no say on the introduction of exotic plants that could become invasive.
Honey bees, wild and native bees face threats from parasites, pesticides and habitat loss. Shorter winters, more extreme weather and more habitat destruction won’t help.
Our study found it wasn’t cafes with access to sugar-rich food that led to more miner aggression. In fact, gardens were where we recorded the highest amount of aggressive behaviour.
With spring’s arrival, it’s important to know which plants might exacerbate hay fever. Surprisingly, it’s not native wattles you have to watch out for.
Spring has settled in and fruit is starting to ripen. Read this before you start helping yourself to the edible plants growing in your neighbourhood.
Many plants are really good at withstanding bushfires, but the combination of drought, heatwaves and pest insects under climate change may push them to the brink.
Farmers can help slow climate change by mixing native grasses into croplands, restoring wetlands and raising perennial crops. These strategies also conserve soil and water and build new markets.
Looking for a new gardening challenge? Turning your yard into an insect-friendly oasis could mean less work and more nature to enjoy.
What blooms underground and smells like vanilla? The answer is an underground orchid, and I never expected to see one, let alone have the privilege of working on them.
In many parts of Australia, the trees are in full flower in December. But once they start you must be quick to catch sight of them, the impressive flower show doesn’t last more than a couple of weeks.
‘As I learn more about First Peoples’ plant knowledge, I’m also better understanding the broader Australian community’s failure to recognise the depth and breadth of our expertise.’
Our medicine, cosmetics and other everyday products contain compounds taken from nature. But Traditional Owners may not have given permission for the materials or their knowledge to be used.
Three quarters of WA’s Stirling Ranges national park now experience fire cycles twice as frequent as species recovery rates.
The plant takes its name from the colonial botanist Joseph Banks, but the coastal banksia’s history goes way back to ancient times.
Restoring former prairies that have been plowed under for farming delivers land, wildlife and climate benefits. But a new study finds that the weather plays a surprising role.
By all means, rescue an injured koala. But by pulling out weeds after the fires, you could also help rescue a whole ecosystem.
Mayflies and stone flies are extremely vulnerable to water pollution, which has implications for the larger food chain.
When ecosystems aren’t able to repair themselves, it’s up to us to intervene.
Top contributors
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Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Adjunct Associate Professor, Murdoch University
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Assistant Professor of Biology, Baldwin Wallace University
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John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin University
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Research Fellow, Curtin University
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Associate Professor, University of Southern Queensland
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Lecturer, University of Canterbury
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Emeritus professor, University of Wollongong
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Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University
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Associate Professor, International Studies and Global Societies, University of Technology Sydney
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Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney
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Future Fire Risk Analyst, The University of Melbourne
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Chief Research Scientist, Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO
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Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand
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Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University
