Tree Planting Lists

Urban Bushland Areas

Properties vary from plot to street to suburb and when selecting a tree species ideal for your needs you should also consider your site requirements. 

Ryde is home to a number of native vegetation communities - three of which are on the brink of extinction (Blue Gum High Forest, Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest and Coastal Saltmarsh - Estuarine Complex). By selecting the right trees, shrubs and ground covers indigenous to your area, you will be helping to preserve and regenerate our rare and valuable ecological communities.

The tree lists below include native trees endemic to Ryde, a variety of Australian natives, and exotic trees. They are suggestions only and you are advised to seek the input of a professional who will be able to take into account your specific site and requirements. 

If you would like to read more about the native plants of Ryde go to our Native Vegetation page.

Key for Size (tree height range):

  • S - up to 6m
  • M - 7m to 12m
  • L - 12m or more

Natives - Local Endemic Species

Common Name Botanical Name Size Feature/Use
Bangalay Eucalyptus botryoides    M  Endemic species   
Blackbutt   Eucalyptus pilularis    L Endemic species smooth and woody trunk   
Black Wattle  Callicoma serratifolia    S  Ideal for drainage lines, attractive leaves   
Blueberry Ash  Elaeocarpus reticulatus  S  Delicate leaves, feature flowers 
Broad-leaf Ironbark  Eucaplyptus fibrosa  L  Habitat for birds, mammals, insects 
Cheese Tree  Glochidion ferdinandi  M Fruit pumpkin shaped, food source for birds 
Coachwood  Ceratopetalum apetalum  L  Day roost habitat for powerful owl 
Coast Banksia  Banksia integrifolia  S  Bird attracting, food source for birds 
Dwarf Apple  Angophora hispida  S  Showy flowers, bird attracting 
Forest Red Gum  Eucalyptus tereticornis  L  Good for nectar eating fauna / habitat 
Forest She Oak  Allocasuarina torulosa  S  Soft foliage, feature bark 
Grey Gum  Eucalyptus punctata  M  Specimen, feature bark 
Grey Ironbark  Eucalyptus paniculata  M  Showy, bird attracting 
Lightwood  Acacia implexa  M  Good for nectar eating fauna 
Narrow-leaved Apple  Angophora bakeri S  Endemic species, interesting form, showy flowers 
NSW Christmas Bush  Ceratopetalum gummiferum  S  Good for nectar eating fauna, fruit for birds 
Old Man Banksia  Banksia serrata  S  Gnarly trunk, bird attracting 
Red Bloodwood    Corymbia gummifera     M  Good for nectar eating fauna / habitat
Red Mahogany   Eucalyptus resinifera    L  Canopy tree   
Rough-barked Apple  Angophora floribuna  L  Showy flowers 
Scribbly Gum  Eucalyptus haemastoma  M  Specimen, smooth pale trunk with scribbles 
Sickle Wattle  Acacia falcata  S  Good soil stabiliser 
Smooth- Barked Apple Angophora costata L Smooth pink trunk, showy flowers
Spotted Gum  Corymbia maculata  L  Specimen, interesting very straight 'spotted' trunk 
Sweet Pittosporum  Pittosporum undulatum  S  Fire retarding, screen 
Sydney Blue Gum   Eucalyptus saligna    L  Endemic species with smooth and woody trunk   
Sydney Peppermint  Eucalyptus piperita  L  Good for nectar eating fauna / habitat 
Thin-leaf Stringybark  Eucalyptus eugenioides  L  Good for nectar eating fauna  
Turpentine Syncarpia glomulifera L UFO shaped fruit
Water Gum  Tristaniopsis laurina  S  Screening, hardy endemic 
White Feather Honey Myrtle  Melaleuca decora  S  Tolerates wetter ground 
White Mahogany    Ecualyptus acmenoides    L  Good for nectar eating fauna, greater Glider habitat 
White Stringybark    Eucalyptus globoidea    L  Bark often has a criss-crossed appearance towards the base of the tree 
Willow Bottlebrush  Callistemon salignus  M  Good tree in damp location 
Woody Pear    Xylomelum pyriforme S  Decorative flowers and fruit 
Yellow Pittosporum Pittosporum revolutum S Highly showy flowers

Natives (Australia Wide) 

Common Name Botanical Name Size Feature/Use
Australian Red Cedar Toona ciliata M Excellent shade tree, deciduous
Brown Beech Cryptocarya glaucescens M  Scented, leathery foliage
Brush Box   Lophostemon confertus M  Drought tolerant, hardy 
Cabbage Palm  Livistonia australis  M  Grows best in damp sheltered areas 
Coast Myall  Acacia binervia  M  Grey foliage, yellow flowers 
Cook Pine  Araucaria columnaris  L  Curvature of the trunk 
Eumundi Quandong  Elaeocarpus eumundi  S  Feature leaves 
Grey Myrtle  Backhousia myrtifolia  S  Small rainforest margin tree 
Guioa  Guioa semiglauca  S  Rainforest tree  
Hoop Pine  Araucaria cunninghamiana L  Rough bark in horizontal bands 
Illawarra Flame Tree  Brachychiton acerifolius  M  Attractive crimson flowers, deciduous 
Ivory Curl Tree  Buckinghamia celsissima  S  Shade, flowers 
Kauri Pine  Agathis robusta   L  Smooth, scaly bark 
Kurrajong  Brachychiton populneus  M  Attractive lobed leaves, drought tolerant 
Lemon-scented Myrtle   Backhousia citriodora    S  Scented leaves, bush food, screening, shade 
Native Fangipani  Hymenosporum flavum  S  Highly scented flowers 
Norfolk Island Pine  Araucaria heterophylla  L  Salt and wind tolerant 
Pink Flowered Ironbark  Eucalyptus sideroxylon 'Rosea'  M  Specimen showy pink flowers, bird attracting 
Port Jackson Fig  Ficus rubiginosa  L  Bird attracting, shade tree 
Prickly Paperbark  Melaleuca styphelioides  M  Pollution tolerant 
Queensland Firewheel Stenocarpus sinuatus   M  Red flowers in circular formation 
Red Bloodwood  Corymbia gummifera  M  Specimen, red tessellated bark 
Red Flowering Gum  Corymbia ficifolia  S  Specimen, showy flowers 
Small Leaved Lilly Pilly  Syzigium leuhmannii  S  Pink new growth, edible fruit 
Snow In Summer  Melaleuca linarifolia  S  Creamy white flowers 
Spotted Gum  Corymbia maculata  L  Specimen, interesting very straight 'spotted' trunk 
Swamp Mahogany  Eucalyptus robusta  L  Spongy bark 
Tree Waratah  Alloxylon flammeum  M  Bright red inflorescence 
Tuckeroo  Cupaniopsis anarcardiodes  M  Bird attracting 
Tulipwood  Harpullia pendula  S  Fast growing, red seed pods 
Water Gum  Tristaniopsis laurina  S Screening, hardy
Weeping Bottle Brush  Callistemon viminalis  S  Showy flowers, native animals 
Weeping Lilly Pilly  Waterhousea floribunda  L  Wavy edged foliage 
Weeping Paperbark  Melaleuca leucadendra  M  Tolerates damp locations 
White Feather Honey Myrtle  Melaleuca decora  S  Tolerates wetter ground 
Willow Peppermint  Agonis flexuosa  M  Weeping habit, white flowers 
Yellow Bloodwood  Corymbia eximia  M  Specimen, yellow tessellated bark  
Yellow Pittosporum  Pittosporum revolutum  S  Highly showy white flowers 

Exotic (non-native) Trees

These exotics provide foliage and colour.

Common Name Botanical Name Size Feature/Use Habit 
Bay Laurel   Lauris nobilis     S  Leaves used in cooking    Evergreen   
Bull Bay Magnolia    Magnolia grandiflora    S Large striking specimen    Evergreen 
Cape Chestnut    Calodendrum capense    S   Showy flowers    Deciduous   
Chinese Elm   Ulmus parvifolia    S Shade, weeping foliage    Deciduous   
Chinese Pistachio    Pistacia chinensis    S   Autumn colour    Deciduous   
Claret Ash  Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood'    M   Beautiful Autumn foliage  Deciduous 
Cork Oak  Quercus suber  M  Slow growing, bark used for wine corks  Evergreen 
Crabapple    Malus floribunda  S  Spring flowering  Deciduous 
Cut-leaf Oriental Plane  Platanus orientalis var digitala  M  Large striking specimen  Deciduous 
Dawn Redwood  Metasequoia glyptostroboides  L  Bright green foliage turning reddish brown in Autumn  Deciduous 
Deodora Cedar  Cedrus deodara  M  Blue green, needle like foliage  Evergreen 
Evergreen Ash  Fraxinus griffithii  S  Decorative white flowers in Spring  Evergreen 
Evergreen Oak  Quercus ilex  M Leaves resemble holly  Evergreen 
Golden Ash    Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'    S    Autumn colour, shade    Deciduous 
Golden Elm  Ulmus glabra 'Lutescens'  M  Foliage feature  Deciduous 
Leopard  Caesalpinia ferrea  M  Feature bark  Deciduous 
Maidenhair Tree    Ginkgo biloba    S  'Living fossil', leaf shape    Deciduous 
Manchurian Pear    Pyrus sp.  S  Autumn colour, blossoms    Deciduous 
Maple Acer platanoides 'Crimson Sentry' S Purple foliage Deciduous 
Peppercorn Schinus areira  M  Pink fruit  Deciduous 
Pepper/Peppercorn Tree  Schinus molle    S     Scented foliage, weeping habit    Deciduous 
Pin Oak  Quercus palustris  M  Autumn colour  Deciduous 
Red Maple  Acer rubrum 'October Glory'  M  Adaptable, brilliant red autumn colour  Deciduous 
Silver Birch  Betula pendula  M  White trunk, pendulous branches Deciduous 
Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo S White flowers, red strawberry shaped fruit Evergreen 
Tulip Tree  Liriodendron tulipifera  M  Fragrant greenish, yellow flowers, late Spring  Deciduous 
Tupelo  Nyssa sylvatica  M  Autumn leaf colour contrast with dark bark  Deciduous 
White Ash  Fraxinus americana  L  Yellow, orange and bronze autumn colour  Deciduous 
Zelkova Zelkova serrata 'Mushashino' M Vase shaped, upright Deciduous 

More Information

If you would like to find out if your property is within an Endangered Ecological Community contact Council's Customer Service on 9952 8222. 

Related Information

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