thomson

ESTELLE THOMSON "The little lady of the flowers." Source: trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182842542# The Week, 27 May 1931

Boronia pinnata or Pink Boronia is an open, spreading shrub with dark green sweetly scented leaves. It flowers profusely in spring producing sprays of fragrant, pretty light pink flowers. This Boronia is a popular cut flower in Australia and is one of the most attractive of all native species. Source: www.gardensonline.com.au/gardenshed/plantfinder/show_861....

Fiery flowers of the silky oak, Grevillea robusta. Silky oaks are older than dinosaurs and literally drip nectar – but watch out for the cyanide. Of all the grevillea, the silky oak is the one that catches my eye. It’s the largest and tallest of the species, reaching up to 30 meters. They’re now blooming along the east coast and in some inland places – like huge orange light bulbs dominating the skyline. Grevilleas literally drip nectar, much to the delight of native birds and bees. Aboriginal people enjoyed the sweet nectar straight from the plant or mixed with water — the original lolly water. But you have to know which species to taste as some, including the silky oak, contain hydrogen cyanide that could make you ill. Like other grevilleas the silky oak also contains tridecyl resorcinol, which causes an allergic reaction leading to contact dermatitis. The chemical is similar to the toxicodendron in poison ivy. Silky oak timber was widely used in colonial times. Then it was marketed as “lacewood”, and that name persists today among some who use it. Source: theconversation.com/silky-oaks-are-older-than-dinosaurs-a...