Australian plants

Among the many plants that we find in our gardens, some originate in remote places; from the Australian continent many plants have come to us: trees, shrubs and even small perennials. Certainly the most known and widespread genus in Italy is that of acacias; perhaps not everyone knows that mimosa, in Latin Acacia dealbata, is an Australian plant, so widespread in Italy and in the surrounding countries that it is included among Mediterranean plants; Acacias are a very large genus, which has more than a thousand species, some originating in America and Africa, but most of them have Australian origins. The filiform leaves, grayish in color, the bizarre flowers, very showy, are a clear sign of the origin of these plants: many Australian plants to us Europeans seem particular and exotic.

Mimosa is now widespread in most of Europe, it was one of the first ornamental plants imported from Australia to our continent, so much so that it is now also widespread in the wild along the Mediterranean coasts; in recent years the interest of enthusiasts has also turned to other species of Acacia, all characterized by particular yellow inflorescences, or sometimes ivory or cream in color. Many other Australian plants, on the other hand, have enjoyed increasing success only in recent years.

The spread of Australian plants in Europe was certainly made by choosing among the most spectacular plants, with very decorative and showy blooms; but one of the reasons why many plant producers have turned to the plants of that distant continent is to be found also in the climate: torrid and dry summers, cold and scarcely rainy winters, associated with mid-rainy seasons, make many areas of the Australia places so similar to the European coasts that they can grow the plants they spread without problems. In addition to this many Australian plants are very well adapted to exposure to sunlight, producing flowers during the winter or the arrival of the first warm spring; these characteristics have made them very suitable for the public of European fans,

Over the years, many plant producers, helped by universities and specialized centers, have helped to expand the range of Australian plants available for Italian gardens, adapting species that could only survive in the Mediterranean areas to the winter climates of central and northern Italy.