Australia is not a continent where succulents have diversified greatly, compared to Africa and the Americas. We have a few representatives of a few succulent families, e.g. Aizoaceae: Carpobrotus - 4 native species, only slightly different from some of the S African and S American species; Sarcozona - 2 species, genus endemic, rather similar to Carpobrotus; Disphyma - 1 species, also in NZ and S Africa. There are other slightly less succulent native species in genera like Tetragonia (6 native), Gunniopsis (endemic, 14 spp.), Trianthema (11 native). Portulacaeae: Many spp. of Calandrinia, now treated by some botanists as genus Parakeelya. These are quite succulent and have colourful flowers but are mostly annual and so seem to be disowned by succulent fanciers. Also 1 native Anacampseros sp. Euphorbiaceae: a few Euphorbia spp. with succulent stems, e.g. E. plumerioides (also in Asia), E. stevenii, E. tannensis. Asclepiadaceae: Sarcostemma - 3 native spp., true stem-succulents with twining or scrambling stems. But why not Hoya (7 native) and Dischidia (4 native)? - they have quite succulent leaves. Chenopodiaceae: now here are a lot of succulent species, in genera such as Maireana, Sclerolaena, Enchylaena, Sarcocornia, Halosarcia, Tecticornia, Sclerostegia, Pachycornia, Suaeda, Salsola. But they tend to be either leaf succulents with dry twiggy stems, or saltmarsh plants and have no appeal to succulent fanciers. Rubiaceae: why aren't the ant plants Myrmecodia (3 native) and Hydnophytum (1 native) regarded as succulents? They look pretty succulent to me. And finally, there are a whole lot of plants in various families that have large perennial tubers. If we went by the current fashion of growing these exposed to the air, we could add quite a few Australian 'succulents'. Like a Dahlia is a succulent? And then there are the monocots - Doryanthes? Bulbine? Borya? Xanthorrhoea even? (no less succulent than some Agave or Yucca spp.) What is a succulent?

Luke, its a Tristaniopsis laurina (Myrtaceae). Strictly a riparian species. It is basically the Xanthostemon of the southern rainforest riparian niche. In the Wet Tropics we have Tristaniopsis exiliflora which is a close relative of T.laurina. Can be grown readily by seed and can be established away from water. You guys down there also have Tristaniopsis collina which grows at higher elevation and often is association with temperate rainforest (at least in the Tweed area). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristaniopsis regards Kris

Rainforest plants last longer than wattles, and I think you'd be able to grow them there. Get ones labelled "drought-hardy", as they have deeper roots which don't annoy, the way the roots of the plants of moister rainforests can. The drought hardy rainforest species grow naturally in dry rainforests, and tend not to be as tall as those from moist rainforests. As a type, they tend to be more suited to gardens. Hollywood - Pittosporum rhombifolium or Auranticarpa rhombifolia - would be about perfect. It's very dense, about 2m across and 5m high, with foliage almost to the ground if it's grown in the open. It makes a good, quick hedge if planted at 2m intervals. Some of the lillypillies would also do well - I'd suggest Acmena smithii, which has similar density and form to the hollywood. Trish

Janey, I don't know of any silvery Aussie natives that might be acceptable to pleaching, however, the plant that comes to my mind that might be worth a try is a variegated pittosporum. It has leaves similar to Acmena or Syzygium (excuse spelling), which grows to about the size your looking for, 2.5 to 3 metres. I haven't grown it for some years but it should still be available from large nurseries.