Australian Native Plants Society
The Australian Native Plants Society is a federation of seven state-based member organisations for people interested in Australia's native flora, both in aspects of conservation and in cultivation.
A national conference is held biennially for members of the state-based societies. The combined membership is around 9000 people.
History
The Society for Growing Australian Plants was established in 1957 by a group of people who "pledged to promote the establishment and breeding of Australian native plants for garden, park and farm". By 1958 active regional Societies had been established in six States and the ACT with the Federal Association being formed in 1962.Initially the focus was on growing and learning about Australian flora more for home and amenities plantings – members included botanists and horticulturists as well as enthusiastic laypeople. As time has gone on, there has been an increasing focus on conservation, and advocacy for conservation, of Australian flora. The Wildflower Society in Western Australia has been particularly diligent in liaising with government bodies in that state and the New South Wales body is a member of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
The national association changed its name to the Australian Native Plants Society in 2008.
Rare and "hard to find" Australian plants can be purchased at their plant sales, which typically occur twice a year, spring and autumn, in many regions.
Promotion of Australian flora
Over the years, many important figures in Australian Botany and Horticulture have been members, Alex George, John Wrigley, Rodger Elliot, Angus Stewart and Ivan Holliday to name a few.Over the years, important texts on Australian flora have been either published by members, or funded by SGAP, including:The Banksia Book, by Alex GeorgeThe Grevillea Books , by Neil Marriott & Peter OldeEncyclopedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation, Rodger Elliot, David Jones & Trevor BlakeNative Plants of the Sydney District by Alan Fairley & Philip MooreField Guide to Plants of the Dry Tropics, by Keith TownsendAcross the Top – Gardening with Australian Plants in the Tropics, by Keith TownsendCommon native plants of the Coorong region : identification, propagation, historical uses, by Neville Bonney
*
Regional (state-based) bodies
The societies are:- Australian Plants Society Inc
- Australian Plants Society NSW
- Australian Plants Society – Tasmania Region
- Australian Plants Society – SA Region
- Australian Native Plants Society – Canberra Region
- Society for Growing Australian Plants – Queensland Region
- Wildflower Society of Western Australia
List of species and topics studied
AcaciaBanksia- BonsaiBrachychiton and allied genera
- Container plantsCorrea
- Daisy DryandraEpacrisEremophila
- Eucalyptus
- Fabaceae
- Fern
- Food plants
- Garden designGrevilleaHakeaHibiscus and related generaIsopogon and PetrophileMelaleuca
- Orchids
- Palm and cycad Prostanthera and Westringia
- Rainforest
- Rhamnaceae
- Succulents Verticordia
- Wallum
- Wetlands
- Wildlife and native plants
''Australian Plants''
A quarterly colour journal, Australian Plants, has been distributed nationally since 1959, with each region producing a quarterly newsletter. The journal produced a very large range of materials which have been collated. Bill Payne was the journal's editor from its inception until 2001. It is a 48-page newsletter in A5 format.Text from the Trove entry, states:
"Australian plants" is complemented by the Society's online publication, "Australian plants online", but the content of the two publications is completely different.