Castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) A blue-green fleshy shrub to 3m tall. A common weed in coastal areas and often found growing along creek banks and in disturbed, neglected areas. The flowers, which are about 1cm in diameter, occur on stout erect spikes. The leaves are large, 10–60cm across, and [...]
Candle nut (Aleurites moluccanus) Spreading evergreen tree to about 20m, native to north eastern and central Queensland sometimes cultivated as an ornamental. Fragrant small white flowers with five petals up to 1cm across and clustered at the ends of branches. Alternate leaves mostly crowded towards [...]
Wintersweet (Acokanthera oblongifolia) A fragrant ornamental shrub that grows 2–3m tall. Flowers are fragrant, white and tubular, densely clustered in leaf axils and are 1.4–2cm long with five spreading star-shaped lobes. The leaves are opposite, dark green, elliptic, 5–12.5cm long and 2.5–5cm wide, thick and leathery in texture. Toxicity category: 2, [...]
Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) A small tree which grows up to 6m tall, sometimes up to 16m, previously planted as a garden ornamental, but now a weed in coastal areas. The tree is quite resinous and aromatic, especially when the leaves are crushed. The flowers are small and white, with [...]
Milky mangrove (Excoecaria agallocha) The central spike is packed with tiny florets. The large, heart-shaped leaves are showy with prominent veins, and are often variegated with red, pink, white or green. The fruit are small, white berries clustered along the spike. Toxicity category: 2, 3 Warning: For all eye exposures [...]
Black bean (Castanospermum australe) A native species that grows to 10m when planted as a garden ornamental or up to 40m in a natural rain forest setting. The flowers are large, orange and red, pea-flower shaped, clustered on older branches. The leaves consist of 7–17 large leaflets alternating on the [...]
Chilli pepper (Capsicum frutescens) This plant is a perennial herb or shrub to 2m tall, often cultivated for culinary use or as an ornamental. The flowers are white with a purple tinge, and grouped in the forks of leaves. The flower stalks are 1-1.5cm long. The leaves are alternate, elliptic with [...]
Yellow oleander (Cascabela thevetia) A large spreading shrub usually 2.5–3.5m tall. The sweetly perfumed flowers are funnel-shaped, bright yellow or peach coloured, 5.5–7cm long and 2.5–4cm wide, grouped in clusters at the end of the branches. The leaves are glossy green, strap-like, alternating on the stem, 5.5–15cm long and 0.5–1.5cm [...]
Bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia) An ornamental shrub to 2m high. This plant is naturalised in the northern half of Queensland. The small flowers are dark red with bright yellow centres. The leaves are deeply three-lobed, with the leaf stalks covered in coarse, sticky, dark brown hairs. The ripe fruit splits open [...]
White cedar (Melia azedarach) A large deciduous tree, often grown as a shade or street tree. The flowers are lilac, about 2cm wide, and are held in large clusters in the forks of the leaves. The leaves consist of numerous bright green leaflets 2.5–7.5cm long and 1–4cm wide, with coarsely toothed [...]
