FORAGE TREES SUITABLE FOR FLYING FOXES

FORAGE TREES SUITABLE FOR FLYING FOXES

Nimbin Plant Selection Guide

David McMinn

This has been published with the permission of the NSW Agricultural Department and was sourced from their book Trees For The North Coast. Lines-Kelly, Rebecca & Currey, Anne (Eds). 1992. This is recommended reading for those interested. Unfortunately, it is now out of print, but it should be available in local libraries.

When planting out plots of native species, it is important to include a wide range of species, so that flowers and/or fruit are produced over the whole year. This is to provide fruit bats, and many other animal and bird species, with a reasonably reliable food supply. In particular, fig trees are a great food resource so make sure you plant out numerous local species.

All species listed are native to the Northern Rivers and south east Queensland, unless otherwise indicated. Three sections have been presented. 1) Ficus species. 2) Rainforest species 3) Eucalyptus Group Species.

Native Fig Species	Height (m)	Growth Rate	Time of Attraction to Flying Foxes.
Weeping Fig (NEQ) Ficus benjamina	15-20	Fastest of the native Ficus	July - December
Creek Sandpaper Fig* Ficus coronata	3-10	Fast	January - September
Sandpaper Fig* Ficus fraseri	6	Fast	May - February
Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla	12-20	Fast	February - May
Ficus microcarpa var hillii	15	Fast	Spring
Small Leaf Fig* Ficus obliqua	15-20	Moderate	March - July
Cluster Fig (NEQ) Ficus racemosa	15	Moderate	October - March
Port Jackson Fig* Ficus rubiginosa	15-20	Moderate	February - July
Cedar Fig Ficus superba var henneana	15		January - August
White Fig Ficus virens	15	Moderate	June - October
Nipple Fig* Ficus watkinsiana	15-25	Fast	July - September
* Recommended Ficus species for flying fox forage. Source: Trees For The North Coast. Lines-Kelly, Rebecca & Currey, Anne (Eds). 1992. NSW Department of Agriculture. Abbreviation: NEQ - Native to north east Queensland only.

Rainforest Species	Height (m)	Growth Rate	Time of Attraction to Flying Foxes.
Lillypilly Acmena smithii	6-8	Moderate	March - July
Ash species Alphitonia species	8	Fast	September - November
Bangalow Palm Archontopheonix cunninghamii	15	Fast in wet soils	December - May
Black Bean Tree Castanospernum australe	15-20	Medium-Fast once established	October - November
Native Tamarind Diploglottis australis	10	Moderate	October - November
Koda Ehretia acuminata	8	Moderate	January - April
Hard Quandong Elaeocarpus obovatus	12	Fast	January - April
White Mahogany Eucalyptus acmenoides	20-30	Moderate	November -December
Red Bloodwood Eucalyptus
Sliky Oak Grevillea robusta	20-30	Fast	September - October
Walking Stick Palm Linospadix monstachyus	2	Slow	February - April
Cabbage Tree Palm Livistona australis	20	Moderate once established	March - June
Turpentine Syncarpia glomulifera	20-25	Moderate	September - October
Brush Cherry Syzygium australe	8-10	Moderate	December - April
Water Gum Tristaniopsis laurina	12	Moderate	December - January

Eucalyptus Group Species	Height (m)	Flowering Frequency	Flowering Season
E acmenoides		1 in 3 years	Nov - Dec
E grandis Flooded Gum	40	1 in 2 years	Mar - April
E robusta Swamp Mahogany	30	1 in 2 years	April - July
E paniculata	30	1 in 2 years	Sep - Dec
E saligna Sydney Blue Gum	35	1 in 3 years	Feb - Mar
E tereticornis Forest Red Gum	30	1 in 3 years	Aug - Oct
E umbra	30	1 in 2 years	Nov - Dec

Lophostemon conferta Brush Box	30	1 in 2 years	Nov - Jan

Syncarpia glomulifera Turpentine	30	1 in 2 years	Sep - Oct

Tristania laurina	20	1 in 2 years	Dec - Jan