Helpful Resources
Commonly Planted Species (Primary dune)
Acanthocarpus presii (Prickle Lily)
A grass-like, prickly, rhizomatous plant to 1 m often forming dense stands due to rhizome extensions. Leaves are rigid, 5 cms long with a sharp needle-like point. Flowers are white with a brownish mid-rib and fruits are 3 lobed.
Atriplex isatidea (Coast Saltbush)
A silver-grey plant to 2 m high with stout stems and a scaly leaf surface. Growing on primary dunes this plant copes well with strong light, shifting sand, salt and wind. Flowers are inconspicuous in dense spikes or branching inflorescences.
Carpobrotus virescens (Coastal Pigface)
A colourful and hardy creeping flat ground cover with very thick succulent, erect, triangular leaves which can grow to 10 cm in length. Pale pink/purple/occasionally white ligulate flowers with pale yellow centres, usually about 4-8 cm in diameter are produced in abundance.
Conostylis candicans (Coastal Cottontail)
A tufted, grass-like perennial herb to 40 cms high. Leaves are strap-like, silvery-grey, soft and hairy, arising from a compact underground rhizome. Flowers usually occur in clusters on 30 cm stalks which emerge from the bases of the leaves.
Enchylaena tomentosa (Ruby Saltbush)
A salt tolerant hardy, prostrate to erect succulent shrub growing to 60 cms high. It has alternate stalkless, needle-like leaves which are 7-20 mm long with fine hairs. Flowers are inconspicuous and a yellow-green colour. The fruit are small edible berries, 3-5 mm diameter ranging from an initial green colour, ripening orange or red and drying black.
Eremophila glabra (Tar Bush)
A sprawling to erect shrub up to 1 m high (higher in the north). Leaves are 3-4 cms long, green-grey to silver-grey and covered in fine hairs. Flowers are a yellow, orange to red colour and bird-beaked in shape, facilitating nectar-feeding bird pollinators. Fruit is a pea sized green, ripening to a yellow colour.
Ficinia nodosa (Knotted Club-rush)
A rhizomatous, leafless, or with highly reduced leaves confined to the base, spreading herb to 90 cm high. The stems are rigid and stand erect in exposed dry conditions. Flowers in dense, brown globular heads up to 2.5 cms wide producing fine, dust-like easily dispersed seeds.
Leucophyta brownii (Coastal Cushion Bush)
A soft shrub to 35 cms high, producing an intricate network of stems with small clasping leaves covered in a soft felt-like material that gives the plant its distinctive white colour. Flowers are yellow fading to white located in the denser terminal heads.
Olearia axillaris (Coastal Daisy-bush)
An erect, multi-branched grey-green shrub with many forms, growing from 30 cm to 2 m high. Leaves are white and grey, 2-3 mm wide and 12-18 mm long. Large numbers of flowers are produced in dense heads on small lateral shoots. It has the ability to release its fine seed rapidly following opening rains.
Rhagodia baccata (Berry Saltbush)
A spreading, multi-branched low shrub to 1 m high and 2 m width. Leaves are fleshy and light green. Small creamy-yellow flowers are produced on cone shaped panicles followed by bright red, flattened globular berries which are often eaten and dispersed by birds. It’s an important plant for dune rehabilitation due to its rapid growth.
Scaevola crassifolia (Thick-leaved Scaveola)
A variable erect to ground-cover plant from 0.1-1.5 m high. Leaves are also variable d/o location and proximity to the ocean. They are generally a rounded, paddle-shape 30-75 mm long and 10-33 mm wide with finely toothed margins. The flowers are blue-mauve and fan shaped with a prominent stylus and in open heads in a terminal to sub-terminal position.
Spinifex hirsutus (Hairy Spinifex)
A rhizomatous spreading, silvery green perennial to 50 cm high with clones extending over many metres. The stems are cane-like and horizontal in deep sand, with vertical stems and rooting along nodes if buried by sand. Leaves are narrow, 10-40 cms long, soft, silvery and hairy on both surfaces. It has male and female flower heads which when mature, break off and are dispersed by the winds.
Spinifex longifolius (Beach Spinifex)
A rhizomatous, tussock to spreading perennial grass to 1 m high. When buried, the rhizome spreads with emergent vertical stems that bear flowers. In stable dunes, the plant becomes tufted and non-creeping. The leaves are green, narrow, 15-30 cms long and grooved on the upper surface, rounded on the lower. Seeds are produced in spherical heads and wind dispersed.
Acanthocarpus presii (Prickle Lily)
A grass-like, prickly, rhizomatous plant to 1 m often forming dense stands due to rhizome extensions. Leaves are rigid, 5 cms long with a sharp needle-like point. Flowers are white with a brownish mid-rib and fruits are 3 lobed.
Atriplex isatidea (Coast Saltbush)
A silver-grey plant to 2 m high with stout stems and a scaly leaf surface. Growing on primary dunes this plant copes well with strong light, shifting sand, salt and wind. Flowers are inconspicuous in dense spikes or branching inflorescences.
Carpobrotus virescens (Coastal Pigface)
A colourful and hardy creeping flat ground cover with very thick succulent, erect, triangular leaves which can grow to 10 cm in length. Pale pink/purple/occasionally white ligulate flowers with pale yellow centres, usually about 4-8 cm in diameter are produced in abundance.
Conostylis candicans (Coastal Cottontail)
A tufted, grass-like perennial herb to 40 cms high. Leaves are strap-like, silvery-grey, soft and hairy, arising from a compact underground rhizome. Flowers usually occur in clusters on 30 cm stalks which emerge from the bases of the leaves.
Enchylaena tomentosa (Ruby Saltbush)
A salt tolerant hardy, prostrate to erect succulent shrub growing to 60 cms high. It has alternate stalkless, needle-like leaves which are 7-20 mm long with fine hairs. Flowers are inconspicuous and a yellow-green colour. The fruit are small edible berries, 3-5 mm diameter ranging from an initial green colour, ripening orange or red and drying black.
Eremophila glabra (Tar Bush)
A sprawling to erect shrub up to 1 m high (higher in the north). Leaves are 3-4 cms long, green-grey to silver-grey and covered in fine hairs. Flowers are a yellow, orange to red colour and bird-beaked in shape, facilitating nectar-feeding bird pollinators. Fruit is a pea sized green, ripening to a yellow colour.
Ficinia nodosa (Knotted Club-rush)
A rhizomatous, leafless, or with highly reduced leaves confined to the base, spreading herb to 90 cm high. The stems are rigid and stand erect in exposed dry conditions. Flowers in dense, brown globular heads up to 2.5 cms wide producing fine, dust-like easily dispersed seeds.
Leucophyta brownii (Coastal Cushion Bush)
A soft shrub to 35 cms high, producing an intricate network of stems with small clasping leaves covered in a soft felt-like material that gives the plant its distinctive white colour. Flowers are yellow fading to white located in the denser terminal heads.
Olearia axillaris (Coastal Daisy-bush)
An erect, multi-branched grey-green shrub with many forms, growing from 30 cm to 2 m high. Leaves are white and grey, 2-3 mm wide and 12-18 mm long. Large numbers of flowers are produced in dense heads on small lateral shoots. It has the ability to release its fine seed rapidly following opening rains.
Rhagodia baccata (Berry Saltbush)
A spreading, multi-branched low shrub to 1 m high and 2 m width. Leaves are fleshy and light green. Small creamy-yellow flowers are produced on cone shaped panicles followed by bright red, flattened globular berries which are often eaten and dispersed by birds. It’s an important plant for dune rehabilitation due to its rapid growth.
Scaevola crassifolia (Thick-leaved Scaveola)
A variable erect to ground-cover plant from 0.1-1.5 m high. Leaves are also variable d/o location and proximity to the ocean. They are generally a rounded, paddle-shape 30-75 mm long and 10-33 mm wide with finely toothed margins. The flowers are blue-mauve and fan shaped with a prominent stylus and in open heads in a terminal to sub-terminal position.
Spinifex hirsutus (Hairy Spinifex)
A rhizomatous spreading, silvery green perennial to 50 cm high with clones extending over many metres. The stems are cane-like and horizontal in deep sand, with vertical stems and rooting along nodes if buried by sand. Leaves are narrow, 10-40 cms long, soft, silvery and hairy on both surfaces. It has male and female flower heads which when mature, break off and are dispersed by the winds.
Spinifex longifolius (Beach Spinifex)
A rhizomatous, tussock to spreading perennial grass to 1 m high. When buried, the rhizome spreads with emergent vertical stems that bear flowers. In stable dunes, the plant becomes tufted and non-creeping. The leaves are green, narrow, 15-30 cms long and grooved on the upper surface, rounded on the lower. Seeds are produced in spherical heads and wind dispersed.
Common Species (Secondary / Inland dune)
All photos and descriptions, except one, from Dixon, K.W. Coastal Plants : A guide to the identification and restoration of plants of the Perth region. Cambridge Coastcare Inc. 2011
Acacia lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa (Panjang)
A highly variable species ranging from a dense, low shrub to 15 cm in exposed areas to 60 cm in protected swales. The divided leaves have 2 to 6 leaflets with rolled margins. The stems are hairy and each leaf has two prominent spines. Seed pods are up to 10 cm long.
Acacia rostellifera (Summer-scented wattle)
Dense shrub or small tree 1-6 m high, often forming dense thickets. Leaves somewhat variable in shape, 6-10 cm long and 5-10 mm wide, almost semi-succulent as they age and when exposed to salt winds. Seed pods have a distinctive constriction between the seeds. The seeds are black with a red/orange aril around them.
Austrostipa elegantissima (Feather Speargrass)
Tufted to diffuse herb, often growing within, and being supported by, a shrub. Slender stems to 2 m tall with leaves 50-150 mm long and 1-3 mm wide. Flowers in long diffuse heads and covered in long silky hairs.
Clematis linearifolia (Slender Clematis)
A scrambling and twining plant tp 3 m, often forming a canopy overtopping shrubs. Leaves distinctly three-lobed, each lobe linear to narrow, 3-6 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Flowers white to cream and star-like, in dense clusters creating a spectacular distplay. Seeds are brown with a feather-like curling awn.
Hardenbergia comptoniana (Native Wisteria)
A twining creeper, up to 2 m high, supported by shrubs. Leaves have 3-5, pinnately arranged leaflets which are ovate to lance-shaped. Flowers are pea-shaped and purple, in long racemes. Seeds produced in rounded pods. Photo courtesy Florabase – the Western Australian Flora. Western Australian Herbarium (1998–).
Hemiandra pungens (Coastal Snakebush)
Prostrate to low, spreading shrub to 50 cm high but up to 2 m in diameter. Leaves narrow, tipped with a sharp point 4 cm long and 6 mm wide, usually hairless but sometimes covered in soft hairs. Flowers can be pink, white or lilac, with various degrees of spotting in the throat.
Hibbertia subvaginata (Grey-leaved Coastal Guineaflower)
Erect to spreading, occasionally prostrate, low shrub to 80 cm high, with grey-green 2-3 cm long 2-7 mm wide leaves which are stem-clasping. One to three bright yellow flowers 2.4 cm wide on short stalks. Difficult to propagate.
Lechenaultia linarioides (Yellow Leschenaultia)
Low-growing to prostrate/erect shrub to 80 cm and 1 m across. Leaves are deciduous. Flowers solitary or in clusters of two or more at the ends of branchlets. Flowers numerous, to 2.5 cm across, opening greenish-white and aging red. Seed produced in elongated pods to 4 cm long that split longitudinally to release grey-black, squarish seeds.
Leucopogon parviflorus (Coast Beard-Heath)
Erect densely branching shrub with soft leaves, 1-2.5 cm long and 4-8 mm wide. Flowers 3 mm across in terminal and axillary spikes. Fruit fleshy white and globular, maturing over a long period, and containing a hard fruit comprising up to five seed segments.
Phyllanthus calycinus (False Boronia)
Low, much-branched small shrub up to 1 m high. Leaves 5-20 mm long and 2-5 mm wide, often with a stressed appearance in summer. Flowers either female and solitary and drooping or male in clusters of two to three.
Santalum acuminatum (Sweet Quandong)
Low-growing, erect semi-parasitic shrub to 3 m high, often in thickets. Leaves 4.5-11.5 cm long and 5-14 mm wide which are soft, pliable and almost succulent. Small white flowers with up to 50 in terminal heads, producing only one, bright green ripening to red, spherical, edible fruit, to 25 mm in diameter. The seed is large, brown, spherical and densely pitted.
Scaevola nitida (Shining Fanflower)
Erect shrub to 3 m, often growing in thicket-like arrangements particularly following fire. Leaves lance-shaped, 35–95 mm long, 15–40 mm wide and serrated, with a pointed tip (rather than rounded tip as in the related S. crassifolia). Flowers in terminal spikes or clusters, distinctly deep sky blue and up to 20 mm across. Seed in a fleshy, flattened globular fruit, 3–4 mm wide, 2–25 mm long.
Spyridium globulosum (Basket Bush)
Robust, fast-growing and erect, low-growing and heath-like or manybranched shrub, 0.6–3 m high. Leaves rounded, soft, often inrolled when droughtstressed, 15–50 mm long, 10–25 mm wide, green above, white beneath with a fine felt of white hairs. Flowers in very densely woolly terminal to sub-terminal heads with each flower small, up to 2 mm across.
Templetonia retusa (Cockies Tongues)
Much branched, erect, rounded to open shrub 0.3–1.2(2) m high. Leaves 20–30 mm long, somewhat leathery with an incised apex. Flowers produced in the axils of the leaves, red, apricot to cream, often in profusion, large and showy, up to 40 mm long, with the standard (flag-like petal) prominent and keeled with a pale base. Seeds 6–10, in flattened pods to 50 mm long with riblike bumps indicating where seeds are present.
Acacia lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa (Panjang)
A highly variable species ranging from a dense, low shrub to 15 cm in exposed areas to 60 cm in protected swales. The divided leaves have 2 to 6 leaflets with rolled margins. The stems are hairy and each leaf has two prominent spines. Seed pods are up to 10 cm long.
Acacia rostellifera (Summer-scented wattle)
Dense shrub or small tree 1-6 m high, often forming dense thickets. Leaves somewhat variable in shape, 6-10 cm long and 5-10 mm wide, almost semi-succulent as they age and when exposed to salt winds. Seed pods have a distinctive constriction between the seeds. The seeds are black with a red/orange aril around them.
Austrostipa elegantissima (Feather Speargrass)
Tufted to diffuse herb, often growing within, and being supported by, a shrub. Slender stems to 2 m tall with leaves 50-150 mm long and 1-3 mm wide. Flowers in long diffuse heads and covered in long silky hairs.
Clematis linearifolia (Slender Clematis)
A scrambling and twining plant tp 3 m, often forming a canopy overtopping shrubs. Leaves distinctly three-lobed, each lobe linear to narrow, 3-6 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Flowers white to cream and star-like, in dense clusters creating a spectacular distplay. Seeds are brown with a feather-like curling awn.
Hardenbergia comptoniana (Native Wisteria)
A twining creeper, up to 2 m high, supported by shrubs. Leaves have 3-5, pinnately arranged leaflets which are ovate to lance-shaped. Flowers are pea-shaped and purple, in long racemes. Seeds produced in rounded pods. Photo courtesy Florabase – the Western Australian Flora. Western Australian Herbarium (1998–).
Hemiandra pungens (Coastal Snakebush)
Prostrate to low, spreading shrub to 50 cm high but up to 2 m in diameter. Leaves narrow, tipped with a sharp point 4 cm long and 6 mm wide, usually hairless but sometimes covered in soft hairs. Flowers can be pink, white or lilac, with various degrees of spotting in the throat.
Hibbertia subvaginata (Grey-leaved Coastal Guineaflower)
Erect to spreading, occasionally prostrate, low shrub to 80 cm high, with grey-green 2-3 cm long 2-7 mm wide leaves which are stem-clasping. One to three bright yellow flowers 2.4 cm wide on short stalks. Difficult to propagate.
Lechenaultia linarioides (Yellow Leschenaultia)
Low-growing to prostrate/erect shrub to 80 cm and 1 m across. Leaves are deciduous. Flowers solitary or in clusters of two or more at the ends of branchlets. Flowers numerous, to 2.5 cm across, opening greenish-white and aging red. Seed produced in elongated pods to 4 cm long that split longitudinally to release grey-black, squarish seeds.
Leucopogon parviflorus (Coast Beard-Heath)
Erect densely branching shrub with soft leaves, 1-2.5 cm long and 4-8 mm wide. Flowers 3 mm across in terminal and axillary spikes. Fruit fleshy white and globular, maturing over a long period, and containing a hard fruit comprising up to five seed segments.
Phyllanthus calycinus (False Boronia)
Low, much-branched small shrub up to 1 m high. Leaves 5-20 mm long and 2-5 mm wide, often with a stressed appearance in summer. Flowers either female and solitary and drooping or male in clusters of two to three.
Santalum acuminatum (Sweet Quandong)
Low-growing, erect semi-parasitic shrub to 3 m high, often in thickets. Leaves 4.5-11.5 cm long and 5-14 mm wide which are soft, pliable and almost succulent. Small white flowers with up to 50 in terminal heads, producing only one, bright green ripening to red, spherical, edible fruit, to 25 mm in diameter. The seed is large, brown, spherical and densely pitted.
Scaevola nitida (Shining Fanflower)
Erect shrub to 3 m, often growing in thicket-like arrangements particularly following fire. Leaves lance-shaped, 35–95 mm long, 15–40 mm wide and serrated, with a pointed tip (rather than rounded tip as in the related S. crassifolia). Flowers in terminal spikes or clusters, distinctly deep sky blue and up to 20 mm across. Seed in a fleshy, flattened globular fruit, 3–4 mm wide, 2–25 mm long.
Spyridium globulosum (Basket Bush)
Robust, fast-growing and erect, low-growing and heath-like or manybranched shrub, 0.6–3 m high. Leaves rounded, soft, often inrolled when droughtstressed, 15–50 mm long, 10–25 mm wide, green above, white beneath with a fine felt of white hairs. Flowers in very densely woolly terminal to sub-terminal heads with each flower small, up to 2 mm across.
Templetonia retusa (Cockies Tongues)
Much branched, erect, rounded to open shrub 0.3–1.2(2) m high. Leaves 20–30 mm long, somewhat leathery with an incised apex. Flowers produced in the axils of the leaves, red, apricot to cream, often in profusion, large and showy, up to 40 mm long, with the standard (flag-like petal) prominent and keeled with a pale base. Seeds 6–10, in flattened pods to 50 mm long with riblike bumps indicating where seeds are present.
Coastal Plants
A guide to the identification and restoration of plants of the Greater Perth coast.
Our founding member, Professor Kingsley Dixon, has published a second edition of his book Coastal Plants (A Guide to the Identification and Restoration of Plants of the Greater Perth Coast). This second edition of Coastal Plants has been updated and expanded to provide a definitive guide to 128 of the most common plants of the Perth coastal region.
Coastal Plants (Second Edition) by Kingsley Dixon
A Guide to the Identification and Restoration of Plants of the Greater Perth Coast
Second Edition By: Kingsley Dixon
Coastal Plants (Second Edition) by Kingsley Dixon
A Guide to the Identification and Restoration of Plants of the Greater Perth Coast
Second Edition By: Kingsley Dixon
This Coastal Plants guide can be purchased through CSIRO Publishing.
Learning Resources
Other websites with useful information
Explore WA’s amazing marine environment and access a range of learning resources at Marine Waters
Learn about Tangaroa Blue Foundation’s Australian Marine Debris Initiative
The worst weeds of City and Floreat Beaches
A volunteer’s guide to their removal
This guide has been written for the volunteers that donate their time to maintaining the coastal areas of City and Floreat Beaches, however, the weed species found in this guide are common along the metropolitan coast and other coast care groups may find this guide useful.
Download Coastal Weed Removal Guide
Published 2019, ©Perth NRM (PDF 7MB).
Planting Technique
COMING SOON - We are pleased to share with you our Coastcare Toolkit that provides a comprehensive guide for the best planting technique.
David’s History of Cambridge Coastcare
In progress! This upcoming publication will tell the fascinating story of how Cambridge Coastcare came into being. It will explore the valuable lessons learned over many years of dedicated work to stabilise the beautiful sand dunes on the beachfront. Additionally, it will highlight the importance of planting local provenance seedlings to counter erosional forces. Stay tuned for this inspiring release being penned by David Forbes.
Spatial Mapping & Datasets
Explore 3D data models of Floreat Beach UAV imagery captured on various dates for the Cambridge Coastcare beach dune modelling and monitoring project. Visit the WA Data website to learn more.