Glossary of Terms
Arboriculture: The cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants.
Biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable.
Biosecurity: Procedures or measures designed to protect the environment against harmful biological substances like pests and diseases.
Canopy: The uppermost branchy layer in a forest or garden, formed by the crowns of trees.
Compaction: The process by which soil particles are pressed together, reducing pore space and limiting air and water movement.
Crown: The top part of a plant or tree where the main stem joins the roots, or the branchy top of a tree.
Cultivar: A plant variety that has been produced in cultivation by selective breeding.
Deciduous: Trees and shrubs that shed their leaves annually, usually in autumn.
Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Endemic: A species native to a specific geographic region and found nowhere else.
Evergreen: A plant that retains green leaves throughout the year.
Exotic: A plant species introduced from another country or region that is not native to the local area.
Gully: A landform created by running water, eroding sharply into soil, typically on a hillside.
Habitat: The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
Herbicide: A substance that is toxic to plants, used to destroy unwanted vegetation.
Horticulture: The art or practice of garden cultivation and management.
Indigenous: Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): An ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests through a combination of techniques.
Invasive Species: A species that is not native to a specific location and has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage.
Microclimate: The climate of a very small or restricted area, especially when this differs from the climate of the surrounding area.
Mulching: The act of covering the soil surface with organic or inorganic material to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Native: A species that occurs naturally within a region without human intervention.
Noxious Weed: A weed that has been designated by an agricultural authority as one that is injurious to crops, ecosystems, or livestock.
Organic Matter: Matter that has come from a recently living organism and is capable of decay.
Perennial: A plant that lives for more than two years.
pH (Soil): A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil, affecting nutrient availability.
Propagation: The process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts.
Pruning: The selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots, to improve health or form.
Regeneration: The natural process by which ecosystems or plant communities recover after disturbance.
Revegetation: The process of replanting and rebuilding the soil of disturbed land.
Runoff: The draining away of water from the surface of an area of land.
Topsoil: The top layer of soil, which has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms.
Understorey: A layer of vegetation growing beneath the main canopy of a forest or garden.
Weed Eradication: The complete removal of a weed species from a specific area.
Soil Types of the Dandenong Ranges
& Foothills
Red Volcanic Loams (Krasnozems)
Deep, rich, and acidic soils found across the ridges; highly fertile but highly prone to erosion on steep slopes.
Clay Loams
Heavier soils found around the foothills and gullies; retains moisture well but can compact easily and restrict drainage.
Sandy Loams
Found in pockets of the lower plains; drains rapidly and requires organic matter to retain nutrients.
Local Weeds of the Dandenong Ranges
Invasive Trees & Large Woody Weeds
Cedar Wattle, Acacia elata – Fast-growing native outside its range; poses a fire hazard.
Cherry Laurel, Prunus laurocerasus – Dense evergreen that blocks light in gullies.
Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster spp. – Berry-producing shrub/tree spread widely by birds.
Desert Ash, Fraxinus angustifolia – Invades creek lines and outcompetes native river vegetation.
Early Black Wattle, Acacia decurrens – Local native that can become weedy and invasive outside its natural zone.
Holly, Ilex aquifolium – Spiky evergreen that creates deep shade and prevents undergrowth.
Portugal Laurel, Prunus lusitanica – Similar to Cherry Laurel; dominates moist forest edges.
Radiata Pine, Pinus radiata – Large conifer that acidifies soil and suppresses native growth.
Sallow Wattle, Acacia longifolia – Vigorous wattle that crowds out diverse native shrubs.
Sweet Pittosporum, Pittosporum undulatum – The #1 enemy in the Dandenongs; alters soil chemistry and blocks sunlight.
Sycamore Maple, Acer pseudoplatanus – Large deciduous tree with "helicopter" seeds that spread rapidly.
Willow, Salix spp. – Chokes waterways and erodes riverbanks (Weed of National Significance).
Invasive Shrubs
Boneseed, Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera – Prolific seeder that spreads rapidly in dry forests.
Butterfly Bush, Buddleja davidii – Invades moist gullies and attracts pests while displacing native habitat.
English Broom, Cytisus scoparius – Nitrogen-fixing shrub that can transform native grasslands.
Fuchsia Gum, Eucalyptus forrestiana – Often planted in gardens but can escape and displace local eucalypt colonies.
Spanish Heath, Erica lusitanica – Forms dense thickets that smother native orchids and lilies.
Climbers, Creepers & Vines
Banana Passionfruit, Passiflora tarminiana – Vigorous climber that smothers established trees.
Bluebell Creeper, Billardiera heterophylla – West Australian native that is highly invasive in Victoria.
English Ivy, Hedera helix – Strangles trees and creates "ivy deserts" where nothing else grows.
Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica – Fast-growing vine that outcompetes native climbers.
Wandering Trad, Tradescantia fluminensis – Blankets forest floors, preventing all native regeneration.
Groundcovers, Bulbs & Herbs
Agapanthus, Agapanthus praecox ssp. orientalis – Extremely hard to remove; displaces native lilies.
Angels Trumpet, Brugmansia spp. – Toxic plant that invades moist soil areas.
Arum Lily, Zantedeschia aethiopica – Clogs waterways and drainage lines.
Freesia, Freesia alba x leichtlinii – Bulb that invades native woodlands and grasslands.
Montbretia, Crocosmia x hortensis – Forms dense mats of corms that are almost impossible to eradicate.
Native Plants of the Dandenong Ranges & Conservation Status
Upper Canopy Trees
Mountain Ash, Eucalyptus regnans – Least Concern
Messmate Stringybark, Eucalyptus obliqua – Near Threatened
Mountain Grey Gum, Eucalyptus cypellocarpa – Least Concern
Manna Gum, Eucalyptus viminalis – Least Concern
Yarra Gum, Eucalyptus yarraensis – Critically Endangered
Mealy Stringybark, Eucalyptus cephalocarpa – Endangered (Locally)
Snow Gum, Eucalyptus pauciflora – Least Concern
Middle Storey & Understorey Trees
Blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon – Least Concern
Silver Wattle, Acacia dealbata – Least Concern
Dandenong Wattle, Acacia stictophylla – Endangered (Globally / Endemic to the area)
Musk Daisy-bush, Olearia argophylla – Least Concern
Sticky Wattle, Acacia howittii – Vulnerable
Silver-leaf Stringybark, Eucalyptus cephalocarpa ssp. cephalocarpa – Endangered
Emerald Star-bush, Asterolasia asteriscophora ssp. albiflora – Critically Endangered
Ferns & Tree Ferns
Soft Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica – Least Concern
Rough Tree Fern, Cyathea australis – Least Concern
Mother Shield Fern, Polystichum proliferum – Least Concern
Gully Fern, Pneumatopteris pennigera – Least Concern
Slender Tree Fern, Cyathea cunninghamii – Critically Endangered
Gristle Fern, Blechnum cartilagineum – Endangered (Locally)
Shiny Shield-fern, Lastreopsis hispida – Endangered
Shrubs & Wildflowers
Prickly Currant Bush, Coprosma quadrifida – Least Concern
Hop Goodenia, Goodenia ovata – Least Concern
Bootlace Bush, Pimelea axiflora – Least Concern
Common Heath, Epacris impressa – Least Concern
Famine Flat-pea, Platylobium infecundum – Critically Endangered
Rough Daisy-bush, Olearia asterotricha – Endangered
Silky Golden-tip, Goodia pubescens – Endangered
Groundcovers, Grasses & Climbers
Kidney Weed, Dichondra repens – Least Concern
Smooth Flax-lily, Dianella laevis/longifolia – Least Concern
Austral Clematis, Clematis aristata – Least Concern
Running Postman, Kennedia prostrata – Least Concern
Matted Flax-lily, Dianella amoena – Endangered
Swamp Fireweed, Senecio psilocarpus – Endangered
Mountain Forest Billy-buttons, Craspedia sylvestris – Endangered
Cliff Cudweed, Euchiton umbricola – Vulnerable
Native Orchids (Ground & Epiphytic)
Wine-lipped Spider-orchid, Caladenia oenochila – Critically Endangered
Mountain Bird-orchid, Chiloglottis jeanesii – Vulnerable
Green Bird-orchid, Chiloglottis cornuta – Least Concern
Nodding Greenhood, Pterostylis nutans – Least Concern
Cobra Greenhood, Pterostylis grandiflora – Vulnerable
Leopard Orchid, Diuris pardina – Least Concern
Pink Fingers, Caladenia carnea – Least Concern
Waxlip Orchid, Glossodia major – Least Concern
Rosy Hyacinth-orchid, Dipodium roseum – Least Concern
Butterfly Orchid, Sarcochilus australis – Least Concern (An epiphyte that grows on understorey trees)