Waterhousea floribunda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waterhousea floribunda |
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| Waterhousea floribunda | |
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Waterhousea
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| Species: |
floribunda
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The Waterhousea floribunda is a beautiful rainforest tree. It grows in eastern Australia, mostly along streams. You can find it from the Williams River (New South Wales) near Dungog in New South Wales up to Mackay in Queensland.
This tree is often called the weeping lilli pilli. People love to plant it in gardens and parks because it looks so nice. Some very old trees, planted in 1827, can still be seen at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. However, these old trees are sometimes damaged by grey-headed flying foxes that roost there. There's also a very large one in Auckland, New Zealand!
Contents
What Does the Weeping Lilli Pilli Look Like?
This tree can grow quite tall, up to 30 metres (about 98 feet). Its trunk can be as wide as 75 centimetres (about 30 inches). The trunk is grey and has vertical lines and cracks. Older trees might have a wider, flanged base.
Its leaves grow in pairs, one across from the other. They are not toothed, but they have wavy edges. The leaves are thin and can be 5 to 15 centimetres long. Each leaf has a long, pointed tip. Sometimes, you might see an old red leaf, which is just a leaf getting ready to fall off. If you look closely with a magnifying glass, you might see tiny oil dots on the leaves. The main vein (midrib) of the leaf sticks out on the underside but is sunken on the top.
Flowers and Fruit
White flowers grow in clusters called panicles (which are like branched flower stalks). They usually appear from November to January. The fruit is a pale pink or greenish berry. It's about 14 millimetres (half an inch) wide. Inside each berry, there is one large seed. The fruit ripens between January and April.
For the seeds to grow well, it's best to remove the soft, fleshy part around them. This helps the seeds sprout faster. In fact, these seeds can start growing in as little as ten days!
Why Do People Plant It?
The weeping lilli pilli is very popular as an ornamental tree. This means people plant it just because it looks good. Its wavy-edged leaves make it a beautiful addition to any garden or park.
Special Types of Weeping Lilli Pilli
A "cultivar" is a special type of plant that people have grown for certain features. One special type of Waterhousea floribunda is called 'Sweeper'. This cultivar has branches that hang down, making it look like it's weeping. It also has bright green new leaves with a ripple effect.
'Sweeper' can grow up to 10 metres tall and 5-8 metres wide. It produces white flowers in the summer. This tree can grow well in sunny spots or partly shaded areas. It can even handle a little bit of frost in cooler places.
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