Elderberry Panax

Polyscias sambucifolia (Elderberry Panax)

Elderberry panax can be a small spreading shrub to a medium-size tree of 5 metres usually found on the edges of rainforest. Its natural range is from Cape Otway in Victoria to the Macpherson Range near the Queensland border. Its fruits are edible.

The photo of the tree in flower above was taken by Patsy Nagle at Kellys Falls.

One of these trees recently regenerated naturally in the circle near the giant bower of the Banksia Bush Care site. It is the third of the Polyscias family that is found in the Reserve, the others being Polyscias elegans (Celery Wood) and Polyscias murrayi (Pencil Cedar). As Polyscias are very susceptible to deer attack, we put a cage around the new arrival. The recent regeneration of this plant within the reserve shows how important for biodiversity is the removal of the usual weed monocultures like Lantana, Senna (Cassia), Ochna and Asparagus Fern.

Banksia Bush Care News

We have cleared the Lantana, Senna and Ochna from the western edge of the Stanwell Avenue Reserve. We have broken up the weed sticks and are using them to raise the walls of some of the compost nests, which continually reduce in height with constant decomposition.

We intend putting up another temporary deer fence around this area and will plant it out with more Illawarra natives.