Table of Grassland Champions - 76 species, 50 genera & 22 families
Indigenous plants that spread readily from seed and rhizomes
Indigenous plants that spread readily from seed and rhizomes
Here is an indication of the prepared areas needed to plant your grassland plant champions:
(There is a 'recommended spacing' between the plants of each species in the table above under the heading – Descriptions)
A 50 plant clump/group with 0.2 m between plants - prepare 2 square meters (e.g. 1.4 m x 1.4 m).
A 50 plant clump with 0.3 m between plants - prepare 4.4 square meters (e.g. 2.1 m x 2.1 m).
A 50 plant clump with 0.4 m between plants - prepare 9 square meters (e.g. 3 m x 3 m)
A 50 plant clump with 0.5 m between plants - prepare 12 square meters (e.g. 3.5 m x 3.5 m).
(Halve these numbers for a 25 plant clump).
Note on numbers of plants in an island and genetic diversity:
Geneticists recommend that we need a minimum 50 plants of each species in a plant community to provide enough diversity in the gene pool for adaption to future long-term changes in climate.
Home garden island plantings may not be large enough to accommodate 50 plants of each species and 4 families.
For smaller gardens, planting clumps of 5 or 10 or 20 of the same species, still looks great, the plants will still produce fertile seed and are very likely spread beyond the island planting.
(There is a 'recommended spacing' between the plants of each species in the table above under the heading – Descriptions)
A 50 plant clump/group with 0.2 m between plants - prepare 2 square meters (e.g. 1.4 m x 1.4 m).
A 50 plant clump with 0.3 m between plants - prepare 4.4 square meters (e.g. 2.1 m x 2.1 m).
A 50 plant clump with 0.4 m between plants - prepare 9 square meters (e.g. 3 m x 3 m)
A 50 plant clump with 0.5 m between plants - prepare 12 square meters (e.g. 3.5 m x 3.5 m).
(Halve these numbers for a 25 plant clump).
Note on numbers of plants in an island and genetic diversity:
Geneticists recommend that we need a minimum 50 plants of each species in a plant community to provide enough diversity in the gene pool for adaption to future long-term changes in climate.
Home garden island plantings may not be large enough to accommodate 50 plants of each species and 4 families.
For smaller gardens, planting clumps of 5 or 10 or 20 of the same species, still looks great, the plants will still produce fertile seed and are very likely spread beyond the island planting.
