Koalas live on Eucalyptus leaves (but you know that) so I would put in some Eucalyptus trees. Beyond that, Australia is so large that the vegetation runs the gamut from cactus to huge pines. There are number of Australian native trees that we don't have growing here and with an $800 budge, they never will. Since your boss hasn't a clue, I would plant whatever you want and tell him that's exactly what grows in Australia.

Australian pines are plentiful and are big and full (and cheap).
Then you can use of more budget to buy really cool stuff.

The eucalyptus sounds nice and I've seen them with very colorful trunks. Eat up your $800 quick.

Hahaha Ricky thats funny ficus really it's native really! nice to see you back here.

imagardener2 I actually got seven varities of eccalyptus donated including the 'rainbow' I planted these outside the exhibit with other Aussie natives like blueberry flax, queens crepe myrtle. Do you know if you can plant australian pine? thought it was on invasive list but since it would be inside a 'house' and could not escape that would give me some height in the planters hmmmmm

Katie

Australian vine: Pandorea pandoreana, also known as wonga wonga vine would be great...
I know that bottlebrush is pretty common but I have one thriving in full shade and exhibiting a graceful weeping habit.
For another tree consider wattles in the acacia family or maybe some gums.
Ooh! Birds nest ferns, karoo cycads and cordylines are great too! I'll have to do some more research and come back to this thread!

The Leptosperâmums are Aussie natives

A lot of the growers on the bromeliad forum are Aussies. You could prob get a few donations from our Florida forum.

got my interest on this one, australian native plant society has a great web site with lots of images. alot of it looks like it's straight out of "avatar!" neat stuff!

Oh, I have to check out that Australian site now. :o)

jaxtropix - love the wonga wonga vine like saying it to lol birds nest and cordys are goods ones to

trini1 - do you know where i could get the Leptospermums?

coffemom - good idea I will try that

wallisiadi - very cool website I would love to try to grow some of the stuff I know it says for Australia only but I wonder if I could post that forum and beg for seeds lol

I linked this post to the Bromeliad forum to see if they had any suggestions.
Let me know if you want Broms.

Katie given the seriousness of your task I would make contact with other Koala habitat keepers here in Australia and ask them for advice and plant names.

At the end of the day you can only use what is available in the States and then suitable for Koalas.

Given quarantine regulations in some countries I can only guess that the seed idea is impossible.

Best of luck.

Katie,

Below is a link to a Brisbane based nursery with Koala friendly plants. Swamp Paperbark - Melaleuca quinquenervia would be good if it is over your way - it has medicinal qualities for Koalas.

Cheers,

Rick

Here is a link that might be useful: Kumbartcho nursery

Piper vines , and Freycinetia , Hoya & Dischidia , Pandanus , many native understorey palms and cycads should be very easy to get . Epipremnum pinnatum & Raphidophora hayii would be in several aroid collections . Maybe ask at Fairchild and other large gardens and nurseries for donations .

Australian Tree Fern

Katie, I saw small tree ferns at HD a few months back. $25 dollar range.
I may have cordylines to donate. LMK

I'd stay away from the Melaleuca. It's considered a Class A noxious weed and targeted for eradication in Florida. Schefflera actinophylla is another Aussie native, but also extremely invasive in tropical climates.

Grevillea, Callistemon (Bottlebrush), Banksia, Leptospermum (Aust. Tea Tree) are some possibilities for trees and shrubs. There are also a number of Aussie palms and cycads, as well as tree ferns.

Katie, you may have to call around. I can't remember where I've seen the pink ones but I know they're out there. Give Living Color in Dania a call. If they don't have it, they may order it for you.

What about small-leafed lilli pilli (Syzygium leuhmanii)? Gives dense attractive foliage and should do well in shade and stay small enough in a container, but maybe it is a pest over your way as well? Or maybe some of the psyllid-resistant clones of some of the other lilli pillies?

Been busy took awhile to get back here

Coffee mom - Ill take you up on the broms and cordys thank you very much.

Matt15 - thats a good idea, I figured the seed thing wouldnt work oh well you have beautiful natives. I planted seven varities of eucalyptus in front of the exhibit which I will prune to keep smaller and to feed out. Can't remember what agency but we had to get approval from Australia on the apperance of our exhibit before we could open to the public thhought that was kinda cool.

rickta66 - thanks for the link found some stuff there one of the most important elements of a new exhibit is finding material that is not toxic.

aroideana - did not know hoya was a native that I can find if not toxic like the frevcinettas as well thanks

lisaclv - cant even buy melaleuca here lol we have several here at the zoo and the city wants us to remove them we got around that by calling them endangered. Cycads would be good as they are slowing growing.

trini1 - do these bloom in shade?

paul t23 - I like the lilli pilli's since all these plants are going to be in a container I wont worry about being a pest now I just got to find some.

Thanks everybody

Katie

Here are some Australian natives that grow well in shade and are easily availble;

Curcuma australasica- Plume Ginger

Dianella caerulea (several cultivars have entered the trade, grows smaller than D. tasmanica and showeier blue flowers

Dianella tasmanica- Flax Lily
Plectranthus scutellarioides- Coleus, yes the annual in a thousand forms

Codiaeum variegatum- Croton
Schefflera actinophylla 'Amate'- this cultivar is sterile and commonly sold as a houseplant now
Alocasia macrorrhizos- Upright Elephant Ear
Asplenium nidus- Birds Nest Fern
Cyathea cooperi- Australian Tree Fern
Microsorum diversifolium- Kangaroo Fern

Araucaria heterophylla- Norfolk Island Pine

some palms and cycads;

Licuala ramsayi
Livistona australis
Archontophoenix alexandrae-King Palm
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana-Piccabean Palm
Archontophoenix purpurea
Howea forsteriana- Kentia Palm
Ptychosperma elegans- Solitaire Palm
Ptychosperma macarthurii
Wodyetia bifurcata- Foxtail Palm (light shade)

Bowenia serrulata
Bowenia spectabilis
Cycas media (very similar to the common Queen Sago)
Lepidozamia peroffskyana
Macrozamia communis

Eric
Orlando,FL

Koalas generally live in open dry forest country - not wet rainforest. Cycads,Bowenia,Macrozamia,Lepidozamia,Codiaeum and all Aroids are toxic, very toxic and while the K's may not eat them just chewing on them could be fatal. I am not a Koala expert but know that what is poisonous to one type of animal may not be poisonous to another, ie seeds which a bird can eat may kill a human. K's have a specially adapted digestive system to process the eucalypt leaves. I would SUGGEST YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH AN AUSTRALIAN ZOO SUCH AS AUSTRALIA ZOO IN QUEENSLAND OR LONE PINE KOALA SANCTUARY IN BRISBANE BEFORE PLANTING ANYTHING IN THE ENCLOSURE. I presume the wellbeing of the Koalas is more important than the wellbeing of the plants. Many of the plants listed so far in this post will not grow in a shady area so do your homework thoroughly before you spend any of your $800 budget. It would be a pity to waste it on plants that will never prosper. Callistemon and Lily pilly (Syzigium) are easy to grow from seed but are unlikely to grow in such small planters for very long. Birs nest fern should do well in planters. Koalas are more endangered than any of the plants listed so please be careful.