Last updated on May 18th, 2025 at 01:59 am
Molyneux, B, Forrester, S 2004, The Australian A-Z of Australian plants, New Holland (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sydney.
The Austraflora A-Z of Australian Plants is handbook for learning more about native plant characteristics to help in garden and landscaping selection. The 2004 edition is an upgrade to previous publications by the same authors. The bulk of the book is given over to an alphabetical listing of native plants and cultivars. Each entry provides plant characteristics including:
- Height and width. Indicates how high and wide the plant can grow.
- Climactic zones. Indicates what part of Australia the plant favours.
- Soil types. Indicates which plants can tolerate from dry to wet soil conditions.
- Light requirements. Indicates whether the plant tolerance for full sun through to full shade.
- Coastal regions. Indicates plants which can handle coastal conditions.
- Frosty regions. Identifies plants which are intolerant to frost or which can handle either heavy or light frosts.
- Bird attraction. Identifies how the plant provides food for birds.
The section Quick-Pick Mini-Lists is useful for identifying native plants and their cultivars for use in specific landscape aspects. These include lists for:
- Australian cottage gardens
- Butterfly attracting plants
- Climbers and creepers
- Plants that suit containers
- Cut flowers
- Decorative seed capsules
- Grasses and rush-like foliage
- Ground covers
- Hanging baskets
- Hedges and screening
- Hedges and screening
- Narrow areas
- Perfumed and aromatic plants
- Pine tree under planting
- Rainforest plants
- Rigid foliage
- Rockeries
- Seasonally wet sands
- Soil binding
- Windbreaks
Book availability
Searches on WorldCat and Libraries of South Australia (LofSA) indicate that the book is available in libraries in Australia, but not in the LofSA system. A search on the publisher website indicates that it remains in publication. Amazon Australia, a commercial online book seller, has copies available for purchase.
About the authors
Bill Molyneux and Sue Forrester started Austaflora nursery in 1961 in Victoria. ‘A pioneer in Australian native plant breeding, and featuring popular Aussie backyard classics such as Banksia Birthday Candles.’ In 2010, Austraflora was acquired by Mansfield’s Propagation Nursery. (Austraflora.com | About us – The Austraflora Story).
In 2020, Jane Edmanson interviewed Bill Molyneux and Sue Forrester at their rural residence, discussing their legacy to the Australian Native plant industry as well as some insights in how they went about collecting potential plant forms for selection and development into cultivars.
See also Gardening Australia | Plant Pioneers Series 31 | Episode 30 for a summary of the interview.
References | Further Reading
- Austaflora 2025, About. Discusses the past and current activity of the Austraflora nursery including its beginnings by owners Bill Molyneux and Sue Forrester.
- Council of Heads of Australasian Herbarium 2021, Molyneux, William Mitchell (Bill) (1935 – ). Provides a biographical note outlining the contribution Bill Molyneux has made to native plant understanding.
- Edmanson, J 2020, The Burrow at Wombat Bend on ABC’s Gardening Australia – ‘Plant Pioneers’ aired 9 Oct 2020. This 7 minute video is an interview by Jane Edmanson of Sue Forrester and Bill Molyneux, horticulturists which have promoted native plants and developed cultivars for landscaping use.
- Worldcat 2025, The Austraflora A-Z of Australian plants. This Worldcat search yields a listing for the 2002 edition by Bill Molyneux and Sue Forrester.