Leafing up in the colour purplish
If you read the first article in this new ‘Flora Feature’ series, you’ve probably figured out which Illawarra zone you call home, whether it’s the coastline zone, the coastal plain or the escarpment. But wherever you are, now is a great time...
If you read the first article in this new ‘Flora Feature’ series, you’ve probably figured out which Illawarra zone you call home, whether it’s the coastline zone, the coastal plain or the escarpment. But wherever you are, now is a great time to check out the Red Cedar (Toona ciliata), an iconic large tree of our region.
If you look west towards the escarpment, the purplish tinge of the new foliage is clearly visible, and makes a striking contrast to the dominant green tones of the surrounding forest. (And yes, they’re deciduous, one of only a handful of local deciduous plants!)
Red Cedars were heavily logged for much of the 19th century, in the Illawarra and also up and down the east coast of Australia – but they’re regrowing well locally, and there are also some massive remnant trees to be seen around the place.
As well as being at home on the escarpment, Red Cedar can also grow happily as a street or garden tree if you’ve got a bit of space. It may reach up to 15m or so in height, with a broad, spreading canopy. This particular tree is growing in King’s Park in Perth!
Visit the Growing Illawarra Natives website for more information about local plants
