The horticultural industry has been bountiful
in providing us with gorgeous climbers such as star jasmine, golden trumpet
vine, white potato creeper and wisteria. These plants are tediously ubiquitous in backyards, coast to coast across Australia. The trouble is, none of them are native to
this land and, just like cuckoos they’ve pushed our endemic species right out
of the “nest”.
If
you live in Sydney sandstone country, there are some spectacular native
climbing plants, many currently in flower that are not only a joy to behold but
are an important component of our local eco system. Here is a quick glimpse of
a few which deserve to be seen more. You can purchase them at an indigenous plant nursery such as Indigo
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Kennedia Rubicunda (Dusky Coral Pea)
Aborigines
used the vine as string and sucked nectar from the flowers.
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Clematis (Old Man’s Beard)
Aborigines
cured headaches by crushing the leaves and inhaling the strong aroma.
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Hardenbergia
A
sweet tea can be made from boiling the leaves
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| Hibbertia Scandens (Golden Guinea Flower) |
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| Eustrephus Latifolius ( Wombat Berry) |
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| Smilax Glyciphylla (Native Sarsaparilla)
The
new leaves have a sweet sarsaparilla flavour and made a popular “Bush” tea in
pioneering days
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| Pandorea Pandorana (Wonga Wonga Vine) |
