New Plants

On our walks around Cradle Mountain, we learned about several different plants native to the area.

The first is the Waratah, a large flowering shrub.  It has unusual flowers, about the size of a fist.

Another fascinating tree is the King Billy Pine.  Thought to be named after a Tasmanian Aborigine, William Lanney, it grows in highland rainforest.  It can grow to over 130 feet, and can be 1200 years old.

The Pencil Pine is a close relative to the King Billy Pine even though neither tree is actually a pine.  It can also reach ages greater than 1200 years and grows in sub-alpine, highland areas.

Lastly, the Pandani is another highland rainforest tree that looks like a palm.  It can grow to more than 30 feet in height.  All of these plants require a great deal of water and are very tolerant of frost and snow.