Tagasaste

Chaemocytisus palmensis

LEGUMINOSAE

Form: Deep-rooted, leguminous tree to 6 metres with drooping branches of trifoliate, greyish, furred leaves. They live up to 30 years.

It seeds prolifically and easily becomes weedy. Check with the agriculture department in your area before introducing it to your garden.

Tolerances: Native to the Canary Isles. Cool temperate to subtropical. This tough plant can survive in areas of frost, drought, locusts, poor soils, wind or salinity.

Propagation is easy from seed, which must be scarified or dipped in boiling water before planting, in spring.

Uses: This plant provides a protein rich fodder crop for stock - it may need protecting against total defoliation. Chickens eat the seeds.

Bees enjoy the scented white flowers in spring and produce a fine honey from them.

Tagasaste makes a good windbreak, which also provides mulch and firewood. It is a good paddock tree or shelterbelt species, and improves the soil with its nitrogen fixing ability. It may also be useful for lowering the water table in saline areas.

Works well as a nurse tree near tender species that need protection while young. It can be pruned to let sun in.

It can become a weed in disturbed bushland and needs to be planted with careful thought as to whether it can escape, especially in high rainfall areas with laterite soils.

Tamarillo

Cyphomandra betacea

SOLANACEAE

Form: Short-lived perennial tree from 2 - 4 metres tall and almost as wide. Pinching out the tip at 2 metres will encourage branching. They have a shallow root system so you'll need to take care with mulching, feeding and watering.

The plant fruits in its second year on the current season's growth. Lightly prune laterals after fruiting to promote new growth, but do not cut into old wood. Space 2 - 3 metres apart. Fruit ripens over many months from early winter to spring.

Tolerances: Place in a warm, sunny position with a few hours direct sun daily. It is important that tamarillo trees be protected from wind as they are quite brittle.

Water plentifully, while providing good drainage.

Feed well when new growth is showing. They need potassium to make fruit.

These can be susceptible to eelworm, so plant marigolds around them, or they can be easily grafted onto stock of wild tobacco (Solanum auriculatum). The leaves may be prone to sapsuckers if not well fed.

Introduce ladybirds to any aphids you see if they don't turn up by themselves.

Propagate from seed, or cuttings of 2 year-old wood.

Uses: They can grow in a large container and are good for small gardens.

The fruit, eaten fresh or stewed contains high levels of vitamin C.

This high value crop also makes excellent pickles.

Tamarind

Tamarindus indicus

FABACEAE

Form: Large evergreen tree to 27 metres, which bears 20 cm long brown pods after 2 - 3 years.

Tolerances: Originally from India, now in many tropical areas. Suitable plant for coastal conditions and in dry, sandy soils in a frost-free situation.

Propagate from seed, and then graft good varieties onto the seedling stocks.

Uses: Shade tree with pods, which contain an edible sweetish acid pulp that has many uses in Asian and Indian cookery as a souring agent and flavour base for soups, drinks and pickles.

The young leaves and flowers are edible if cooked.

Young leaves can be heated and used as a hot compress on boils.

Termite-proof timber.

Tansy

Tanacetum vulgare

ASTERACEAE

Form: Perennial, creeping, groundcover herb from .4 to 1 metre (in flower). It has ferny grey-green leaves and small yellow daisy flowers. It takes up a lot of room when it spreads out and encroaches on other plants.

Tolerances: Frost and drought tolerant. Happily grows near the sea.

Uses: Aromatic insect repellent, useful to grow in orchards under trees. It is one of the most mineral rich herbs and is therefore good to include in compost.

Dried tansy keeps moths and insects away; fresh cut tansy repels ants.

It is quite toxic, but is effective against intestinal worms (consult a herbalist).

Externally it can be used on swelling, bruises and varicose veins.

Taro

Colocasia esculenta

ARACEAE

Form: Upright, wide leaf spathes to 1 metre. Spreads easily, popping up around its original planting site - can become invasive if not kept in check.

Tolerances: Hot temperate. Mildly frost tolerant. Grows best in damp soil at the pond edge.

Uses: Swollen tuber is cooked after special preparation. It is edible after cooking and has similar nutritional qualities to potatoes.

Some are salt tolerant.

Tea, Chinese

Camellia chinensis

THEACEAE

Form: An evergreen shrub with dark, shiny leaves and single white or pale pink flowers. It is usually kept below 2 metres to facilitate picking.

Propagate from cuttings of 1 year-old wood with hardened new growth. They grow slowly while young and may show no signs of growth for up to a year.

Tolerances: Originally from China and India. Commercially grown in monsoon areas. Being a mountain species they are tolerant of light frosts. Adapts to many soils; sandy soils need to be well mulched to help maintain high acidity.

Provide a sunny but sheltered well-watered spot, with good drainage and protection from strong afternoon sun. These plants need regular feeding if they are to be regularly harvested. Drought tender.

Uses: The young tips and tiny new leaves can be plucked for tea after the plants are 3 years old. This can be done every nine days in summer and up to every 21 days in winter, if the bushes are up to it. The tips are then left to wilt on a tray, as they need to dry slowly.

A short period of fermentation follows (18 - 24 hours), and then the tea is dried out (at 100'C for an hour), crushed and packaged.

This produces black tea. There are low-tannin types available.

Oolong tea is semi-fermented, while green tea is dried as soon as it is picked, without any fermentation.

Pulverising the seeds in a blender and straining through a cloth makes seed oil. The oil is good for massage lotion, hair oil or cooking.

Thyme

Thymus vulgaris and spp

LAMIACEAE

Form: Perennial spreading scented herbs to 30 cm. Pruning them short reduces flowers and keeps them bushy. There are many kinds with slightly different habits and flavours.

Culinary thyme is tall, where lawn thymes creep along the ground forming mats of small leaves. Both can be used in cooking.

Creeping thymes have a variety of flower colours.

Tolerances: Dry alkaline sandy soil. Thyme is able to withstand drought and must have plenty of sun for continued growth.

Uses: A tasty herb for cooking; it is part of the traditional bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs for soups and stocks, which includes celery or parsley stalk, bay leaf and thyme.

Thyme lawns need at least four hours of sun a day and do not need mowing.

Tipuana tipu

Brazilian rosewood

FABACEAE

Form: Fast-growing, leguminous tree to 25 metres with spreading umbrella-like canopy. Pinnate leaves and yellow flowers on short racemes in mid summer to early autumn. The seeds spin as they drop and often grow with no help, showing potential to become a weed.

Tolerances: This tree from Bolivia and Brazil is a subtropical to temperate species.

Uses: This tree provides lovely shade and makes excellent leaf drop for mulch.

Brazilian rosewood is the timber produced by this ornamental shade tree.

Tomatoes

Lycopersicon esculentum

SOLANACEAE

Form: In warm areas, many tomatoes can grow through winter to be perennial. There are vine or bush type tomatoes, all with strong smelling leaves. From small yellow flowers, fruit may be very small or large.

Different varieties are green, yellow, orange, red or pink, striped or almost black

Tolerances: Warm season crop. Avoid frosts and poor drainage. Prefers sandy soils. Respond well to feeding.

Sow seed when temperature is about or above 25'C.

Uses: Highly versatile fruit, which can be used fresh, dried, sauced or bottled.

Different varieties have different uses - some are best used fresh; others are suited to drying or are best pulped.

Amish paste and Roma tomatoes are good for sauces, having few seeds and solid pulpy flesh. Roma tomatoes are also good for canning as they fit in the jar well.

Principe Borghese is for drying, and Stupice are early season eating tomatoes.

Cherry tomatoes are great in salads.

There are literally hundreds of types, for all climates and tastes. Varieties for cooler climates usually have larger leaves (the 'potato-leafed' tomatoes) to absorb more sunlight.

Check good seed catalogues for varieties for your location and needs.

Tuart

Eucalyptus gomphocephala

MYRTACEAE

Form: The largest tree of the coastal plain. They grow to 30 metres tall with a spreading habit. They occur within a 10 km stretch from the ocean, from Jurien Bay to Busselton.

A large shady gum, these trees are important for the biodiversity of Perth's insects, lizards, birds, bats and mammals.

Tolerances: They grow very close to the ocean, tolerating salt laden winds and dry conditions.

Uses: This is an excellent local species for a large garden, roadside verge or park.

Tuarts provide important habitat for local insect and bird life.

Large, long-living trees need to be planted wherever possible to keep the suburbs' temperature moderated and help rainwater absorb into the ground, instead of washing away to the ocean.

As with the peppermint tree (Agonis flexuosa) these trees are often attacked by their local pest species; there are so few of the tree around that beneficial or predatory species are lacking (through lack of breeding grounds). The few local trees get all the problem insects, instead of being able to share the load about a bit.

Often these trees are stressed as well, through soil disturbance and polution, adding to their inability to defend themselves against pests and diseases.

Turmeric

Curcuma longa

ZINGIBERACEAE

Form: This grows in clumps about a metre high; the large broadly lanceolate leaves look very similar to ginger. It grows by rhizomes, which are the edible part.

Tolerances: Prefers the tropics, though will tolerate semi-tropics. It needs a warm spot with rich well-drained soil. In cooler areas, it will die back in winter but can be left to grow on in hot climates.

Propagate by planting root cuttings in spring.

Uses: Harvest turmeric in autumn when the leaves die down. It can be used fresh, but is usually dried and powdered. Turmeric is used to flavour and colour foods including curry powder, cheese, mustards and butter.

It has a minty, spicy, peppery fragrance when fresh.

Turnip

Brassica rapa

APIACEAE

Form: Root vegetable. The leaves grow to about 25 cm high, and the roots get to about 5 - 8 cm diameter.

Tolerances: Temperate climates. Turnips need to be grown in moist soil otherwise they go to seed.

Plant seeds in fertile soil, without too much nitrogen, which causes excessive leaf growth. Rotate brassica crops to avoid disease.

Uses: Vegetable for steaming, roasting or eating raw. Fairly strong flavour.

This self-seeding root vegetable is said to relieve gout sufferers from uric acid.

It is often used cooked and mashed, sometimes with potatoes or pumpkin, or can be used in soups or pasties.

Upland cress: see cress

Valerian

Valeriana officinalis

VALERIANACEAE

Form: Perennial to 1.2 metres. White, pink or lavender flowers in cymes at top of flowering stem.

Tolerances: Prefers moist, good soil. Frost resistant, but drought tender.

Sow seed in spring or summer. Needs some light to germinate.

Uses: Used medicinally as a relaxant, sedative and for pain relief, in tea or powder form.

The dried roots can also be used to perfume cupboards.

Vetch

Vicia spp

FABACEAE

Form: Annual legumes with pea flowers.

Tolerances: Vetch is a self-seeding groundcover legume.

Uses: Grow and dig in as a green manure. The foliage is poisonous to animals.

Vetiver grass

Vetiveria zizanoides

POACEAE

Form: Densely tufted perennial clumping grass with stiff leaf bases that overlap. It has a deep-root system to 3 or 4 metres deep and therefore doesn't compete for water, nutrients or space. The plant stem dies if it is allowed to flower. It is a very long-living plant.

Tolerances: It prefers moist soil, though it can tolerate dry periods or flooding. Frost tender. Preferred soil pH 4.5 - 10.5; quite acidic to quite alkaline. Quite salt tolerant.

Divide, use stem cuttings or layer to propagate in summer. Water well to establish.

Uses: Erosion control - it makes great narrow dense hedges along contours of sloping land. It can be cut to keep short and the cut off bits put behind the rows as mulch and to recycle nutrients brought up by the plant.

These hedges also catch water and organic matter that falls or washes down, building up the terrace. These properties make it a good plant to grow along the 'keylines' of your property, to intercept and slow water so it gets a chance to soak in to the soil and recharge aquifers. (See Yeomans 'Keyline for Every Farm' book)

Windbreak. Fire resistant. Border for garden edges and part of a plant barrier system against kikuyu, couch etc.

Vetiver can be used for thatching and as animal feed.

The roots have a pleasant smell and have long been used by perfumers. The oil in the roots seems to deter burrowing rats.

Vietnamese Mint

Polygonum odoratum

POLYGONACEAE

Form: Sprawling perennial herb, to 50 cm, with pretty pink flowers in summer. It roots into the ground along its nodes.

Tolerances: Easy to grow, Vietnamese mint likes a sunny spot but also grows well in shade. It should be watered regularly in summer. Tolerates light frost.

Often confused with smartweed (Polygonum hydropiper), which it is not.

Uses: Vietnamese Mint leaves taste like coriander, curry and lemon with a touch of heat.

It is a good plant to grow near a pond edge.

Vine and Trellis Crops

Use vines as barriers around the garden, as deciduous shade on the north side or for permanent shade to the west to prevent walls heating up and then transferring heat back into the building all night in summer.

Vines: Kiwifruit, grape, hops - (all deciduous), red, yellow, black or banana passionfruit, vanilla (only tropical), beans, peas, fruiting cactus species and others.

Scramblers: Melons, cucumber, pumpkins, tomatoes, bougainvillea, gourds, nasturtium and others.

Water chestnut

Eleocharis dulcis

CYPERACEAE

Form: Aquatic rush with edible culms. They need to grow in 10 - 30 cm of water to produce well.

Tolerances: Tropical/subtropical plants, which grow in damp soil or shallow water. They need 8 frost-free months a year to grow and can tolerate total drying out for weeks once bulbs are large. Feed a little bit, often. Protect shoots from ducks.

Uses: Harvest the water chestnuts in autumn before the leaves die back from the cold. You can store some in the fridge in a closed container to plant out in spring.

The culms are a valuable human food and are rich in carbohydrates. Only water chestnuts that were grown with clean water should be eaten.

Water chestnuts are often used to filter polluted water; these should not be consumed as they concentrate heavy metals.

Watercress

Nasturtium officinalis

BRASSICACEAE

Form: Hardy aquatic perennial with an indefinite spread.

Tolerances: Cool sun, semi-shade. Grows in moist soil, prefers running water or frequent changing of the water if you grow it on a windowsill. Prefers slightly alkaline water.

10'C is the ideal growing temperature. Dies off in late spring/early summer.

Easily propagated from root cuttings.

Care must be taken near rivers, where this plant can over grow and choke out natural systems. Keep it under control; don't plant it where it may wash away into rivers or lake systems.

Uses: Highly nutritious leaves that can be used in salads and sandwiches. The leaves are peppery. Leaves must be checked thoroughly for black snails, which can cause liver flukes.

This is another good water filtering plant, where excess biomass could be used in compost.

Waterlilies

Nymphae spp

NYMPHACEAE

Form: There are hundreds of varieties in a few general categories: hardy waterlilies, day blooming tropicals and night blooming tropicals. They have large spectacular flowers and grow from rhizomes, tubers or seed.

Tolerances: The water must be a minimum of 30 cm deep; 45 - 60 cm is ideal. Waterlilies must have at least four hours of sun and be in a position where the leaves won't be splashed. They are disease tolerant; they may get aphids.

Propagate by root division, ideally at the end of winter.

Uses: Habitat and shelter for pond surface. Fish use their shade and frogs sit on the leaves.

Hardy

Form: The most commonly cultivated kind. The leaves have smooth edges. They flower and grow earlier at a lower average temperature than the tropical type. They lose their leaves during the dormant period but keep a few submerged.

Flower colours include red, pink, white, yellow and apricot. The flowers generally sit on the water or very close to the surface. They will hybridise with one another.

Tolerances: Gross feeders. Fertilise with cow or sheep manure. They will survive up to 4 metres deep. Need less attention than the tropical species.

A large shallow container is better than a small deep one.

Propagation: They grow from extended tubers. Take 15 cm sections with two or more growth points. Establish in shallow water.

Uses: Good for areas that are too cold for tropical water lilies.

Tropical waterlilies

Form: There are day and night flowering forms. Tropicals are larger than hardy waterlilies. The range of flower colours include purple, blue, red, white, yellow and apricot. They are held 15 - 30 cm above the water level on long stems. They flower 10 - 12 weeks after the hardy types.

Most tropicals have serrated edge leaves. The leaves die off during their dormant period.

These hybridise easily.

Tolerances: These need higher temperatures to flower than the hardy ones. They also require large amounts of food for good flower production.

They are usually put into the pond in a pot, so they can be retrieved and divided up more easily. They need to be removed from frost-prone waters for winter. They also need the water level to be shallow at the start of the growing season.

Propagation: The bulbous rootstock has small nut-like offsets which are split off and replanted. Make sure the growing tip isn't covered while establishing new plants from the offsets. The soil in their pots can be held down with gravel or sand.

Uses: Ornamental. The night flowering types are good for people who don't see their ponds during the day, or who entertain in the evening when day flowering types have closed.

Watermelon

Citrullus lanatus

CUCURBITACEAE

Form: Spreading annual vines, which produce large round or elongated fruits with red flesh. Harvest fruit 11 - 14 weeks after sowing.

Tolerances: Tropical and subtropical. They must be grown when it is 25 - 30'C, in a sunny sheltered position. Feed fortnightly until fruit start to develop and thereafter ensure regular even watering.

Hand pollination early in the morning will help production. Simply pick a male flower (it's fairly obvious when you see the male and female flowers together), and rub pollen onto or insert into the female flower.

When fruit begin to develop place a brick or board beneath it to reduce damage to the fruit from soil born disease.

Harvest when they sound hollow when tapped.

Uses: Eaten fresh. Good for the kidneys and mildly laxative. Watermelon seed tea is also good for kidney and bladder problems.

Eat on its own to avoid fermentation in the stomach, which can result in gas.

White cedar: see Cape lilac.

White sapote

Casimiroa edulis

RUTACEAE

Form: Evergreen tree to 15 metres.

Tolerances: Mexican tree that is unrelated to the black sapote. They prefer a good well-drained soil. They are slightly tolerant of drought and strong winds. It is important to have a few of these trees, as they do not self-fertilise well. They can be grown from seed or grafted.

Uses: Fruit tree, which mostly ripens in late autumn. The greenish yellow fruit can be eaten fresh or turned into drinks or jam. They are also somewhat sleep-inducing and are used as a relaxant, along with bark, root or seed extracts.

Winged bean

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

FABACEAE

Form: Perennial bean to about 50 cm high.

Tolerances: From Southeast Asia. Warm temperate to tropical plant. These beans need a hot and moist place to grow in fairly good soil.

Uses: All parts of this plant can be eaten; the young immature pods, which are similar to green beans, are the most sought after part.

Young leaves and shoots are used for spinach, the flowers and their buds taste similar to mushrooms and the starchy tubers can be used in the same ways as potatoes.

If using the ripe brown seeds, which are high in vitamin E and iron, they must be cooked for 2 or 3 hours to be digested properly.

Witch hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

HAMAMELIDACEAE

Form: Small deciduous tree or shrub to 5 metres.

Tolerances: North American native. Prefers damp, shaded position with good soil.

Uses: Leaves and bark used as a household remedy for skin problems, grazes etc.

Wisteria

Wisteria sinensis

FABACEAE

Form: Vigorous, deciduous climber with a woody stem. This ornamental leguminous climber can grow to 11 metres high with long trusses of flowers to 1.5 metres.

Tolerances: Needs strong support and protection from strong wind. Frost tolerant.

Uses: Ornamental screening plant. Bee forage. May cause bad hay fever in some people.

Woodruff

Galium odoratum

RUBIACEAE

Form: Slender perennial creeping rootstock to 30 cm with leaves in whorls along the stems. Sweetly scented foliage. White flowers.

Tolerances: Woodland native of Europe, North Africa and Asia. Enjoys growing in deep shade, becoming a deeper green. It can be hard to germinate and grow.

Uses: Used as a strewing herb in olden times, it retains a new mown hay smell for a long time when dry. It can be used to disguise bad odours. It is used in potpourri and will repel insects if placed among clothes.

The leaves can be used to make a lovely tea.

It is a good orchard under-plant.

It was used medicinally in the Middle Ages.

Wormwood

Artemesia absinthum

ASTERACEAE

Form: Perennial shrub to 1 metre. Grey feathery foliage and small yellow flowers. Prune after first year or two to keep compact and bushy.

Tolerances: Plant in full sun to part shade. Wormwoods are prone to mildew in deep shade, don't like humidity and need very good drainage. Frost tolerant.

Propagate from cuttings of snappable wood. Put into moist soil in spring or autumn. Prune cuttings at the end of their first year to make them bushier.

Uses: Insect repellent, windbreak, hedge, mulch.

Tree wormwood (A. arborescens): to 1.5 m, tolerates all but the coldest conditions.

Common wormwood (A. absinthum) is hardier than tree wormwood.

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

ASTERACEAE

Form: Perennial groundcover, runs by stolons along the ground. Aromatic grey-green foliage grows to about 10 - 15 cm high. They have masses of white, pink, purple or yellow umbels in summer and autumn.

Tolerances: Will grow in most soil types. It grows best with watering, but will tolerate dry conditions for a short while.

Uses: Excellent groundcover. It brings up nutrients from below ground and is a good soil conditioner.

The leaves can be used as a compost activator, and is one of the herbs used by biodynamic farmers.

It increases disease resistance on plants it is mulched with or grows near.

The plant has medicinal uses. Yarrow leaf tea is good for severe colds, and the leaves and flowers are good for sick sheep.

It is a valuable insect attractant, attracting and feeding hover flies and bees, and other predatory and beneficial insects.

Yam bean/Jicama

Pachyrizus erosus

LEGUMINOSAE

Form: Perennial climbing bean to 6 metres, which grows edible tubers. It has hermaphrodite flowers and is insect pollinated.

Tolerances: From Mexico and Central America. Grows in most soil types as long as it's moist. Will not grow in shade. They need long hours of sunlight to produce decent sized tubers on the roots. Frost tender.

Uses: Nitrogen fixing. The tubers are eaten raw or cooked, like potatoes. They can be eaten raw, (sliced with lemon juice and spices), fried, baked or boiled. Good edible vine plant.

The flowers, pods and seeds are not edible. They contain rotenone, the basis for derris dust, which is a highly effective insecticide.

Ziziphus jujube

Jujube

RHAMNACEAE

Form: This large, thorny deciduous shrub/small tree to 9 metres is deep rooted and produces suckers. The insignificant flowers are borne in late spring/early summer, followed by brown fleshy fruit about 6 cm long that taste similar to apples.

Tolerances: Hails from Malaysia and the Mediterranean. Does best in hot dry conditions. High summer heat is no problem and helps fruiting. Has low chill needs for fruit set. Tolerates drought, salt, alkalinity and most soils. Grows best in sandy well-drained soil, performing poorly on heavy damp ground. Frost tender. Doesn't grow in shade.

Propagation is easy from seed, though they can take a long time to come up.

A scion of a fruiting tree can be grafted onto seedlings. Bears fruit four or five years from planting.

Uses: Ornamental. Delicious small fruit can be eaten fresh from the tree, when they taste like little apples, or they can be bottled or dried.

Good fodder and hedge plant; provides some fuel wood.