Signs of Spring

This Parsonsia vine is a new one for our Franke Scrub plant list.


Sandalwood Santalum lanceolatum galls not fruits. As well as being a handsome shapely small tree, it has a tasty bush tucker fruit. It is a semi-parasitic plant, probably depending on the roots of the grasses (Austrostipa spp.) which grow under it for its good health.

Friends and finches at Franke’s

It was a glorious morning at Franke Road after a frosty dawn. The finches were chattering and we made good progress in the soft red earth, with its carpet of fresh green shoots following the recent wet weather. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 29th October. We hope to see you then.

Weed warriors

After the initial foray,
one gradually becomes familiar with the enemy:
the way it looks in the canopy.
Feel its connection with the ground
and find the familiar look of its base.
Slide weapon beneath young roots.
Snip and disconnect earth to sky.
Launch a vigorous attack on a seasoned crown.
The severed head is removed and held high
before being consigned to a bag.
And on to the next conquest.

This particular crown was gained by a more clinical procedure as it had to be removed from a difficult position behind a blackthorn bush, while being careful not to damage a particularly fine specimen of a scrambling caper Capparis sarmentosa - our last act for the morning.
The ripe fruits of this Asparagus may have been the only ones which made it this year thanks to our efforts.

July meeting coming up

A reminder that we are meeting again in two weeks time, on Wednesday 30th July at 9 am at Franke Road, off Cawdor Drive at Highfields.

Bring tools to chip and snip weeds, a bag to accumulate rubbish in, gloves, protective clothing, smoko and a chair to sit on, camera, botanical keys, or whatever items might promote your enjoyment of a couple of hours in a nice dry vine scrub remnant on our doorstep.
Crowns of asparagus vine. As you can see they have good reserves to regenerate if not fully removed.

Friday fun

Six of us turned up last Friday afternoon for a couple of hours of weed control. We managed to locate the crowns of some of the large asparagus vines remaining in the canopy and can now feel more relaxed about our competition with them until our next scheduled meeting on Wednesday 30 July. Bird sounds were more apparent during the afternoon.

An extra effort

At our last working bee on 30 April, we noticed some asparagus vine with green fruit in the canopy so we are planning to go out on Friday afternoon, 23rd May, from 2-4pm to have another go at it before it matures. If anyone would like to join us, please bring your gloves, tools, rubbish bag, camera and smoko. We look forward to your company.

April gathering

Our fifth Wednesday in April commenced with Trish being interviewed about our activities at Franke Scrub on local ABC radio at 6.45 am. As a result we got some new people at 9 am. If this was not enough excitement, in rolled a mini-bus of Greening Australia workers but they were only there for a look, being occupied in Charles and Motee Rogers Park in Highfields.

It was very dry in the scrub, but looking quite good. We continued the remove asparagus vine and also some Cat's Claw creeper and were caught on camera by the local WIN TV and were on the news that night.

After smoko, we had a stroll through with Steve noticing these plants among many -
Caper white butterflies on the Capparis sarmentosa on the northern roadside
Plumbago zeylanica in flower on the ground at the lower end.
Oily hand lotion from the fruits of Pittosporum viscidum. The finches also love nesting in it.
Streblus sandpaper leaves. There was also a large leaf seedling down in the creek area.
Little galled fruits on the Ruby saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa
Cassinia laevis with mistletoe at upper end of the scrub.
A Beetroot tree Elattostachys xylocarpa with lovely bunches of opening capsules.
Breynia oblongifolia – in a different environment to Ravensbourne, where it is common.
Spartothamnella juncea with orange berries.