Doryphora sassafras (Sassafras)

Sassafras is one of the most common rainforest trees of the Illawarra escarpment. It is only occasionally found on the coastal plain. It is a medium to large tree, reaching 30 metres. Its leaves are highly serrated and opposite, and highly aromatic if crushed. Its bark is light brown and sometimes grey, soft, flaky and tessellated. The white flowers are in clusters of three on short stalks, and they appear in July. The fruit is brown when ripe and has a short appendage for wind dispersal. It produces good wood for cabinet making. Two Sassafras were planted in the reserve in 2018 and are protected by a cage against the deer.

Banksia Bushcare winning the lantana battle

Volunteers have finally removed the last infestation of Lantana in the Stanwell Avenue Reserve at the end of Station Street. After 100 years of infestation there remains throughout the reserve a decent seedbed of Lantana that requires constant maintenance, but this was the last infestation. We have replaced it with 13 edible native fruit trees, germinated from local seed, Podocarpus elatus (Plum Pine) and Syzygium australe (Brush Cherry). Their fruits make excellent jam. We have added edible Warrigal Green, Tetragonia tetragonioides, as an understorey. It is Australia’s answer to spinach, but it needs to be blanched first. There is already some growing there naturally. This area enjoys full sun and is ideal for these plants.