With the early onset of winter invertebrate subjects for the camera have been conspicuous by their absence, so it’s time for something else. The garden was first established forty six years ago, and correas were among the first plantings, with reflexa, decumbens, and red and cream forms of glabra. Others followed over the years but these were the most long lived, the cream form of glabra is in fact still going strong, as was the red form until recently. Correas are a nectar source relished by honeyeaters, and the cross pollination they accomplish has resulted in hybrid seedlings of many types appearing, in many cases far from the parent plants.
Correa reflexa x decumbens with Eastern Spinebill.
Many seedlings have germinated in a raised bed twenty five metres from the parent plants, and one was found beside the road four times that distance away. The number one suspect involved in the dispersal of seed would have to be the introduced Common Blackbird, dropping and covering them as it forages for food. It can be seen from obvious parentage that seeds have been in the sandy soil of the raised beds for a number of years before germinating, and also of significance is that generally speaking, these seedling plants have proved to be exceptionally hardy, thriving without the need for watering as required by those planted from containers. The hardiest form of Correa reflexa has been this hairy leaved form from the Mottle Range north of Wairewa, East Gippsland, and would be involved in many of the hybrids.
This seedling that germinated between this reflexa and the cream glabra has grown into a shapely shrub 1.6 metres tall and when in full flower is very attractive.
Another that sprang up beneath the glabra and is entangled in it has a deeper colour.
A hybrid that has Dusky Bells in its makeup.
A cutting grown plant in heavier soil is now an open shrub a metre tall with slightly squatter flowers in good numbers.
Another very attractive one that appeared close by at the same time.
One with decumbens in its makeup, sprang up twenty five metres from the parent.
A seedling close to where the red glabra grew, now a robust shrub.
To conclude, two white and green flowered plants, thirty metres apart, both growing happily at the base of large shrubs, seemingly unaffected by the competition for water.
