Spring has finally sprung and the change of season is marked by the springing to life of wildflowers across the region.

The state’s nine landscape boards help to protect native flora and control the threats that endanger them.

They say being aware of native plants is the first step to protecting them and everyone can all help preserve them by:

• Preventing damage caused by grazing.
• Preventing removal/illegal collection.
• controlling weeds to reduce competition.
• Taking a photo instead of picking native flowers.
• Volunteering with a local native vegetation group.
• Reporting any sightings of these endangered plants to landscape board offices.

As the weather warms up, here’s some great species to keep an eye out for across the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island:

Yacca - Kangaroo Island

An iconic yacca species on Kangaroo Island, Xanthorrhoea semiplana ssp tateana quite often comes to life in the spring by sending up a flowering spike.

A very visible plant, the Kangaroo Island community loves yaccas and the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board nursery sells many every year.

White-beauty spider orchid – Hills and Fleurieu

Since a small but devastating fire in the Mount Beevor Heritage Area (near Harrogate in the Adelaide Hills) in 2007, the white-beauty spider orchid (Caladenia argocalla) has been presumed extinct. It has not been seen flowering since 2005, when just eight flowers were recorded in the area.

The Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board has been working with the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre to propagate these unique plants from previously collected seed and now, through the ‘Back from the Brink’ project, 40 of these orchids have recently been re-introduced to Mount Beevor. They are well protected from grazing pressure with specialised enclosures, and we look forward to seeing them flower again later this year - for the first time in over 15 years.

The Back from the Brink project is supported by the Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board through funding from the Australian Government and the Landscape Levy. It aims to ensure important populations of threatened orchids are not lost forever by bolstering existing populations, and in cases like this, reversing local extinctions.

Karkalla - Green Adelaide

Karkalla is the Kaurna name for Carpobrotus rossii, a well-known groundcover that has beautiful pink flowers in spring.

It is a succulent that can be used to help stabilise sandy soil, trail down rock walls and is even happy living in a pot. It’s suitable for any Adelaide garden – even those directly on the coast, as it has no problem with salt spray.

When buying Karkalla, be wary of imposters. Check that it has the scientific name Carpobrotus rossii.

Learn more about Karkalla in Green Adelaide’s coastal or Adelaide garden planting guides.



Anyone keen to know more can get in touch with the local landscape board to find out more about helping to protect precious native flora.