Austral crane's bill

Plant growth form and habit: Long-lived trailing or scrambling perennial herb.

Natural distribution: Vic, NSW, SA, Qld. Occurs in various woodlands and rocky hillsides.

Indigenous to greater Melbourne: Yes

Height category: 0-0.5m

Dimensions (height and width): 0.1-0.3 m x 0.6-1.5 m

Landscape features: Groundcover, Colourful flowers

Flowering: Pink to purple flowers, October to January.

Typical growth rate: Medium

Light: Partial sun

Drought: Moderately good

Waterlogging: Moderately good

Maintenance and cultivation notes: Forms a dense cover in permanently moist areas. Regenerates readily but needs to be pruned. Can be invasive/weedy (but usually looks good).

Green roof suitability: Unirrigated < 10 cm depth, Unirrigated 10-20 cm depth, Unirrigated > 20 cm depth, Irrigated < 10 cm depth, Irrigated 10-20 cm depth, Irrigated > 20 cm depth

Bees and butterflies nectar and pollen source: Likely attractive to native bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other nectar and pollen foraging insects.

Birds: Provides food for seed-eating birds including the red-browed finch, crimson rosella, cockatiel, speckled warbler and white-browed scrubwren.

Lizards and frogs: Provides refuge for small skinks.

Benefits: Nectar and pollen, Birds (food source), Lizard habitat

Availability: Victorian Indigenous Nurseries Co-operative (VINC), Western Plains Flora, Kuranga Native Nursery (availability as of June 2017)

Typical horticultural uses: Edging plant, and as a loose ground cover among other plants. Also as part of an understorey planting. Suitable for green roofs.