Garden plants for Australia
351 plants that appear on garden plant lists for Australia: vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers, shrubs and trees that gardeners there commonly grow, native or introduced. Each links to a growing guide with spacing, sun, water, hardiness, toxicity and sources.
Australia spans more than one climate. Being on this list does not mean a plant suits your own site: check its hardiness and water needs against your local conditions, and avoid plants listed as invasive in your area.
Plan a garden with these plants →
Vegetables (30)
- Arugula (rocket) Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa
- Beetroot Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris
- Bell pepper Capsicum annuum
- Bok choy Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
- Broccoli Brassica oleracea var. italica
- Bush bean Phaseolus vulgaris
- Butternut squash Cucurbita moschata
- Cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capitata
- Carrot Daucus carota subsp. sativus
- Cauliflower Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
- Chayote Sechium edule
- Cherry tomato Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme
- Chili pepper Capsicum annuum (hot types)
- Chinese water chestnut (mǎtí) Eleocharis dulcis
- Cucumber Cucumis sativus
- Garden pea Pisum sativum
- Garlic Allium sativum
- Lettuce Lactuca sativa
- Mung bean Vigna radiata
- New Zealand spinach (warrigal greens) Tetragonia tetragonioides
- Onion Allium cepa
- Potato Solanum tuberosum
- Pumpkin Cucurbita maxima / C. pepo
- Radish Raphanus sativus
- Spinach Spinacia oleracea
- Sweet corn Zea mays var. saccharata
- Sweet potato Ipomoea batatas
- Swiss chard Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (Cicla)
- Tomato Solanum lycopersicum
- Zucchini (courgette) Cucurbita pepo
Herbs (13)
- Alfalfa (lucerne) Medicago sativa
- Basil Ocimum basilicum
- Cleveland sage Salvia clevelandii
- Coriander (cilantro) Coriandrum sativum
- Hops Humulus lupulus
- Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus
- Mint Mentha spicata
- Parsley Petroselinum crispum
- Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium · invasive in some regions
- Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus
- Tasmanian mountain pepper Tasmannia lanceolata
- Thyme Thymus vulgaris
- White horehound Marrubium vulgare · invasive in some regions
Fruit (34)
- Abiu Pouteria caimito
- Almond Prunus dulcis
- Australian finger lime Citrus australasica
- Avocado Persea americana
- Banana Musa x paradisiaca
- Barbados gooseberry (ora-pro-nóbis, leaf cactus) Pereskia aculeata · invasive in some regions
- Bignay (mao luang) Antidesma bunius
- Black sapote (chocolate pudding fruit) Diospyros nigra
- Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
- Cape gooseberry (goldenberry) Physalis peruviana
- Common fig Ficus carica
- Davidson’s plum Davidsonia pruriens
- Dwarf apple tree Malus domestica
- Feijoa Acca sellowiana
- Giant granadilla (badea) Passiflora quadrangularis
- Grapevine Vitis vinifera
- Jaboticaba Plinia cauliflora
- Kakadu plum (gubinge, billygoat plum) Terminalia ferdinandiana
- Kei apple (umkokola) Dovyalis caffra
- Kiwano (horned melon, jelly melon) Cucumis metuliferus · invasive in some regions
- Lemon tree (dwarf) Citrus limon
- Mango (dwarf) Mangifera indica
- Muntries (emu apple) Kunzea pomifera
- Papaya Carica papaya
- Passion fruit Passiflora edulis
- Pineapple Ananas comosus
- Pomegranate Punica granatum
- Quandong (desert quandong) Santalum acuminatum
- Raspberry Rubus idaeus
- Riberry (small-leaved lilly pilly) Syzygium luehmannii
- Strawberry Fragaria x ananassa
- Strawberry guava (cattley guava, araçá) Psidium cattleianum · invasive in some regions
- Tamarillo Solanum betaceum
- White sapote (zapote blanco) Casimiroa edulis
Flowers (82)
- African flag (chasmanthe) Chasmanthe floribunda · invasive in some regions
- African iris Dietes grandiflora
- Agapanthus Agapanthus praecox
- Albany pitcher plant Cephalotus follicularis
- Angel’s fishing rod (wand flower) Dierama pulcherrimum
- Armand’s clematis (evergreen clematis) Clematis armandii
- Arrowhead vine (syngonium) Syngonium podophyllum · invasive in some regions
- Bird of paradise Strelitzia reginae
- Blue flax lily (paroo lily) Dianella caerulea
- Blue leschenaultia Lechenaultia biloba
- Blue marguerite (blue daisy) Felicia amelloides
- Blushing bromeliad Neoregelia carolinae
- Bougainvillea Bougainvillea glabra
- Bower vine (bower of beauty) Pandorea jasminoides
- Bugle lily (watsonia) Watsonia borbonica · invasive in some regions
- Burn jelly plant (stalked bulbine) Bulbine frutescens
- Bush lily (clivia) Clivia miniata
- California fuchsia (hummingbird trumpet) Epilobium canum
- California poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Calla lily (arum lily) Zantedeschia aethiopica · invasive in some regions
- Cape daisy (osteospermum) Dimorphotheca ecklonis
- Cape sundew Drosera capensis · invasive in some regions
- Christmas bells (large Christmas bells) Blandfordia grandiflora
- Christmas cactus (Thanksgiving cactus, crab cactus) Schlumbergera truncata
- Cigar plant Cuphea ignea
- Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus
- Cup-and-saucer vine (cathedral bells) Cobaea scandens
- Douglas iris (Pacific Coast iris) Iris douglasiana
- Easter lily Lilium longiflorum
- English lavender Lavandula angustifolia
- Fairy fan-flower (scaevola) Scaevola aemula
- Firewheel (Indian blanket) Gaillardia pulchella
- Flaming Katy (florist’s kalanchoe) Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
- Flannel flower Actinotus helianthi
- Freesia Freesia refracta hybrids · invasive in some regions
- French lavender Lavandula stoechas · invasive in some regions
- French marigold Tagetes patula
- Garden rose Rosa x hybrida
- Green ixia (turquoise ixia) Ixia viridiflora
- Gymea lily Doryanthes excelsa
- Harlequin flower Sparaxis tricolor · invasive in some regions
- Kangaroo paw Anigozanthos flavidus
- Lady Banks’ rose (Banksian rose) Rosa banksiae
- Leopard plant (tsuwabuki) Farfugium japonicum
- Mexican bush sage Salvia leucantha
- Mexican petunia (Britton’s wild petunia) Ruellia simplex · invasive in some regions
- Mini monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma) Rhaphidophora tetrasperma
- Moonflower Ipomoea alba
- Moon orchid (moth orchid) Phalaenopsis amabilis
- Mother of thousands (devil’s backbone) Kalanchoe daigremontiana · invasive in some regions
- Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
- New Guinea impatiens Impatiens hawkeri
- Paddle plant (flapjacks) Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
- Panda plant (pussy ears) Kalanchoe tomentosa
- Pentas (Egyptian starcluster) Pentas lanceolata
- Persian buttercup Ranunculus asiaticus
- Petunia Petunia x hybrida
- Philippine ground orchid Spathoglottis plicata · invasive in some regions
- Pink-and-white everlasting (pink paper daisy) Rhodanthe chlorocephala
- Pink mulla mulla (tall mulla mulla) Ptilotus exaltatus
- Poison bulb (giant crinum lily, phlap phlueng) Crinum asiaticum
- Poppy anemone (kalanit) Anemone coronaria
- Queen’s tears (friendship plant) Billbergia nutans
- Red-and-green kangaroo paw (Mangles’ kangaroo paw) Anigozanthos manglesii
- Red yucca Hesperaloe parviflora
- Rengarenga (rock lily) Arthropodium cirratum
- Snake vine (climbing guinea flower) Hibbertia scandens
- Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus
- Society garlic (wild garlic) Tulbaghia violacea
- Strawflower (golden everlasting) Xerochrysum bracteatum
- Sturt’s desert pea Swainsona formosa
- Sunflower Helianthus annuus
- Swan River daisy Brachyscome iberidifolia
- Sweet pea Lathyrus odoratus
- Tiger flower (Mexican shell flower, cacomitl) Tigridia pavonia
- Treasure flower (gazania) Gazania rigens · invasive in some regions
- Triostar stromanthe Stromanthe thalia
- Tropical hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
- Verbena Verbena bonariensis
- Wax plant (porcelain flower) Hoya carnosa
- Western blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium bellum
- Zinnia Zinnia elegans
Shrubs (83)
- Bengal clock vine (blue trumpet vine) Thunbergia grandiflora · invasive in some regions
- Bird's nest fern Asplenium nidus
- Blue candle cactus (bilberry cactus, garambullo) Myrtillocactus geometrizans
- Brown boronia (scented boronia) Boronia megastigma
- Bunny ears cactus (polka-dot cactus) Opuntia microdasys · invasive in some regions
- Burrawang (cycad) Macrozamia communis
- California flannelbush (fremontia) Fremontodendron californicum
- Camellia Camellia japonica
- Cape honeysuckle Tecoma capensis · invasive in some regions
- Cape leadwort (plumbago) Plumbago auriculata
- Coastal rosemary Westringia fruticosa
- Coral aloe Aloe striata
- Coral ardisia (manryō) Ardisia crenata · invasive in some regions
- Cotton (upland cotton) Gossypium hirsutum
- Crape jasmine (pinwheel flower, phut) Tabernaemontana divaricata
- Crimson bottlebrush Melaleuca citrina
- Dwarf umbrella tree (schefflera) Heptapleurum arboricola
- Fatsia (Japanese aralia, yatsude) Fatsia japonica
- Firecracker plant (coral plant) Russelia equisetiformis
- Foxtail agave (spineless century plant) Agave attenuata
- Frangipani (plumeria) Plumeria rubra
- Geraldton wax Chamelaucium uncinatum
- Giant fern (king fern) Angiopteris evecta · invasive in some regions
- Giant taro (elephant ear) Alocasia macrorrhizos
- Glory bush (tibouchina) Pleroma urvilleanum · invasive in some regions
- Golden dewdrop (sky flower, duranta) Duranta erecta · invasive in some regions
- Golden leather fern (piai raya) Acrostichum aureum
- Grass tree (balga) Xanthorrhoea preissii
- Grey-leaved euryops (resin bush) Euryops pectinatus
- Hanguana (bakung) Hanguana malayana
- Heath banksia Banksia ericifolia
- Hebe Veronica speciosa
- Himalayan honeysuckle (pheasant berry) Leycesteria formosa · invasive in some regions
- Japanese mock orange (pittosporum) Pittosporum tobira
- Japanese spindle (masaki) Euonymus japonicus
- Japanese wisteria (fuji) Wisteria floribunda · invasive in some regions
- King protea Protea cynaroides
- Krantz aloe (candelabra aloe) Aloe arborescens
- Lady palm (bamboo palm, rhapis) Rhapis excelsa
- Laurustinus Viburnum tinus
- Lemon myrtle Backhousia citriodora
- Lemon-scented tea tree Leptospermum petersonii
- Lilly pilly Syzygium smithii
- Mānuka (tea tree) Leptospermum scoparium
- Mexican heather (false heather) Cuphea hyssopifolia
- Mountain aloe (Marloth’s aloe) Aloe marlothii
- Natal plum (num-num, amatungulu) Carissa macrocarpa
- Native fuchsia (common correa) Correa reflexa
- Native lilac hibiscus (blue hibiscus) Alyogyne huegelii
- NSW Christmas bush Ceratopetalum gummiferum
- Old man saltbush Atriplex nummularia
- Oleander Nerium oleander
- Oleander-leaf protea Protea neriifolia
- Pigeon pea Cajanus cajan
- Pig’s ear (round-leaved navelwort) Cotyledon orbiculata
- Pincushion hakea Hakea laurina
- Pink breath of heaven (confetti bush) Coleonema pulchellum
- Pride of Madeira Echium candicans · invasive in some regions
- Purple coral pea Hardenbergia violacea
- Queen Victoria agave Agave victoriae-reginae
- Red powder puff Calliandra haematocephala
- Red-tip photinia Photinia x fraseri
- Rice-paper plant (tsūdatsu) Tetrapanax papyrifer
- Rosemary grevillea Grevillea rosmarinifolia
- Round-leaf mint bush Prostanthera rotundifolia
- Shrubby germander (tree germander) Teucrium fruticans
- Silverbush (shrubby bindweed) Convolvulus cneorum
- Silver jade plant (silver dollar plant) Crassula arborescens
- Silver torch cactus Cleistocactus strausii
- Small crowea (waxflower) Crowea exalata
- Spotted emu bush Eremophila maculata
- Star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides · invasive in some regions
- Star magnolia (shidekobushi) Magnolia stellata
- Sticky monkeyflower (orange bush monkeyflower) Diplacus aurantiacus
- Taupata (mirror bush) Coprosma repens · invasive in some regions
- Tiare (Tahitian gardenia) Gardenia taitensis
- Ti plant (cordyline) Cordyline fruticosa
- Tree houseleek (aeonium) Aeonium arboreum
- Waratah Telopea speciosissima
- Weeping bottlebrush Melaleuca viminalis
- Yellow bells (yellow trumpetbush) Tecoma stans · invasive in some regions
- Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (manacá) Brunfelsia pauciflora
- Yunnan camellia Camellia reticulata
Trees (78)
- Bangalow palm (piccabeen palm) Archontophoenix cunninghamiana · invasive in some regions
- Beach she-oak (coast she-oak, Australian pine) Casuarina equisetifolia · invasive in some regions
- Broad-leaved paperbark (niaouli) Melaleuca quinquenervia · invasive in some regions
- Brush box Lophostemon confertus
- Cabbage tree (cordyline) Cordyline australis
- Cabbage-tree palm Livistona australis
- Camphor tree Cinnamomum camphora · invasive in some regions
- Canary Island date palm Phoenix canariensis
- Ceibo (cockspur coral tree) Erythrina crista-galli
- Chinaberry (Persian lilac) Melia azedarach · invasive in some regions
- Chinese banyan Ficus microcarpa · invasive in some regions
- Cider gum (eucalyptus) Eucalyptus gunnii
- Coast banksia Banksia integrifolia
- Common coral tree (lucky-bean tree, umsinsi) Erythrina lysistemon
- Cootamundra wattle Acacia baileyana · invasive in some regions
- Crepe myrtle Lagerstroemia indica
- Date palm Phoenix dactylifera
- Deodar cedar Cedrus deodara
- Dry-zone mahogany (Senegal mahogany, caïlcédrat) Khaya senegalensis
- Fiddle-leaf fig Ficus lyrata
- Firewheel tree (wheel of fire) Stenocarpus sinuatus
- Foxtail palm Wodyetia bifurcata
- Gelam (cajuput tree) Melaleuca cajuputi
- Giant white bird of paradise Strelitzia nicolai
- Golden trumpet tree (ipê-amarelo) Handroanthus chrysotrichus
- Golden wattle Acacia pycnantha · invasive in some regions
- Illawarra flame tree Brachychiton acerifolius
- Ivory curl tree Buckinghamia celsissima
- Jacaranda Jacaranda mimosifolia · invasive in some regions
- Kashmir cypress (Bhutan weeping cypress) Cupressus cashmeriana
- Lacy tree fern (Cooper’s tree fern) Sphaeropteris cooperi · invasive in some regions
- Lemon-scented gum Corymbia citriodora
- Leyland cypress x Cuprocyparis leylandii
- Macadamia Macadamia integrifolia
- Mangrove apple (perepat) Sonneratia alba
- Mexican fan palm Washingtonia robusta · invasive in some regions
- Monterey cypress Hesperocyparis macrocarpa
- Monterey pine (radiata pine) Pinus radiata · invasive in some regions
- Moreton Bay fig Ficus macrophylla
- Mount Etna broom Genista etnensis
- Narrow-leaved paperbark (tea tree, source of tea tree oil) Melaleuca alternifolia
- Native frangipani Hymenosporum flavum
- Nipah palm Nypa fruticans · invasive in some regions
- Norfolk Island pine Araucaria heterophylla
- Old man banksia (saw banksia) Banksia serrata
- Olive Olea europaea
- Orchid tree (mountain ebony) Bauhinia variegata · invasive in some regions
- Oriental mangrove (tumu) Bruguiera gymnorhiza · invasive in some regions
- Peruvian pepper tree Schinus molle · invasive in some regions
- Pōhutukawa (NZ Christmas tree) Metrosideros excelsa · invasive in some regions
- Ponytail palm (elephant’s foot) Beaucarnea recurvata
- Purple orchid tree (butterfly tree, Bauhinia purpurea) Bauhinia purpurea
- Putat sungai (freshwater mangrove) Barringtonia racemosa
- Queen palm (jerivá) Syagrus romanzoffiana · invasive in some regions
- Queensland bottle tree Brachychiton rupestris
- Red-flowering gum Corymbia ficifolia
- River red gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis · invasive in some regions
- Royal poinciana (flamboyant) Delonix regia
- Sausage tree (worsboom, muvevha) Kigelia africana
- Silky oak (southern silky oak) Grevillea robusta · invasive in some regions
- Silver tree fern (ponga) Alsophila dealbata
- Silver wattle (mimosa) Acacia dealbata · invasive in some regions
- Smooth-barked apple (Sydney red gum) Angophora costata
- Snow gum Eucalyptus pauciflora
- Soft tree fern Dicksonia antarctica
- Tall-stilted mangrove (bakau minyak) Rhizophora apiculata
- Tasmanian blue gum Eucalyptus globulus · invasive in some regions
- Tipa (rosewood) Tipuana tipu · invasive in some regions
- Tree aloe (Barber’s aloe) Aloidendron barberae
- Tree rhododendron (lali gurans, burans) Rhododendron arboreum
- Trident maple Acer buergerianum
- Tropical almond (Indian almond, hu kwang) Terminalia catappa
- Weeping fig (Benjamin fig) Ficus benjamina
- White api-api Avicennia alba
- Wild date palm (Senegal date palm) Phoenix reclinata
- Wollemi pine Wollemia nobilis
- Yellow flame tree (copperpod, non si) Peltophorum pterocarpum
- Yew plum pine (inumaki) Podocarpus macrophyllus
Grasses (11)
- Barley Hordeum vulgare
- Broom reed (restio) Elegia capensis
- Fountain grass Pennisetum alopecuroides
- New Zealand flax Phormium tenax · invasive in some regions
- Oats Avena sativa
- Pampas grass Cortaderia selloana · invasive in some regions
- Pink muhly grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Sorghum Sorghum bicolor
- Spiny-head mat-rush (lomandra) Lomandra longifolia
- Sugarcane Saccharum officinarum
- Wheat (bread wheat) Triticum aestivum
Groundcovers (20)
- Boston fern (sword fern) Nephrolepis exaltata
- Burro’s tail (donkey’s tail) Sedum morganianum
- Cast-iron plant (haran) Aspidistra elatior
- Common staghorn fern (elkhorn fern) Platycerium bifurcatum
- Creeping boobialla Myoporum parvifolium
- Creeping fig (climbing fig) Ficus pumila
- Delta maidenhair fern Adiantum raddianum
- Ghost plant (mother-of-pearl plant) Graptopetalum paraguayense
- Golden pothos (devil’s ivy) Epipremnum aureum · invasive in some regions
- Hottentot fig (sour fig, ice plant) Carpobrotus edulis · invasive in some regions
- Inch plant (silver inch plant, wandering dude) Tradescantia zebrina · invasive in some regions
- Jelly bean plant (pork and beans) Sedum rubrotinctum
- Mexican fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus · invasive in some regions
- Moses-in-the-cradle (oyster plant) Tradescantia spathacea · invasive in some regions
- Native violet (ivy-leaved violet) Viola hederacea
- Spider plant Chlorophytum comosum
- String of pearls Curio rowleyanus
- Trailing ice plant (vygie) Lampranthus spectabilis
- White clover Trifolium repens
- Zebra haworthia (zebra plant) Haworthiopsis attenuata
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.