Soil-salinity Tolerant Plants - Western Victorian Region
Salinity in the Western Victorian Region | Salinity in the Western Victorian Region | Photo Gallery | Glossary
Purpose
A list of salt-tolerant plants that commonly occur in the Western Region appear below. The estimated soil salinity classes in which each of these plant species is likely to occur has been noted. Because many species often grow across a range of classes, other salinity indicators may also be needed to increase confidence in identifying a particular salinity class from its assemblage of indicator species.
Vegetation Community in relation to Salinity Class
* Indicates introduced and exotic species
| S1 - Slightly saline |  | |
| Grasses | |
| * | Annual Beard-grass | Polypogon monspeliensis |
| Awnless Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis leviseta |
| Bristly Wallaby-grass | Austrodanthonia setacea |
| Coast Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis billardierei ssp. billardierei |
| * | Common Barb-grass | Hainardia cylindrica |
| Common Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis filiformis |
| Common Reed | Phragmites australis |
| Common Wallaby-grass | Austrodanthonia caespitosa |
| * | Couch Grass | Cynodon dactylon |
| * | Desmazeria | Tribolium acutiflorum |
| English Couch | Eltrigia repens |
| * | Mediterranean Barley-grass | Hordeum hystrix |
| Prickly Spear-grass | Austrostipa stipoides |
| Purple Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis punicea ssp. punicea Lachnagrostis punicea ssp. filifolia |
| * | Reed Canary-grass | Phalaris arundinacea |
| Salt Couch | Sporobolus virginicus |
| * | Sea Barley-grass | Hordeum marinum |
| * | Small Hair-grass | Molineriella minuta |
| Southern Cane-grass | Eragrostis infecunda |
| * | Tall Fescue | Festuca arundinacea |
| * | Tall Wheat-grass | Lophopyrum ponticum |
| * | Wimmera Rye-grass | Lolium rigidum |
| Wind-flattened Tussock-grass | Poa physoclina |
| Windmill-grass | Chloris truncata |
| Rush-like Plants | | |
| Bare Twig-rush | Baumea juncea |
| Caldwell's Club-rush | Bolboschoenus caldwellii |
| Cumbungi | Typha spp. |
| Cutting Sedge | Gahnia trifida |
| Giant Rush | Juncus ingens |
| Knobby Club-rush | Ficinia nodosa |
| Nodding Club-rush | Isolepis cernua |
| River Club-rush | Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani |
| Sharp Club-rush | Schoenoplectus pungens |
| Shiny Bog-rush | Schoenus nitens |
| * | Spiny Rush | Juncus acutus |
| Swamp Club-rush | Isolepis inundata |
| Toad Rush | Juncus bufonius |
| Creeping Forbs | | |
| Annual Celery | Apium annuum |
| Austral Stonecrop | Crassula sieberiana |
| Bower Spinach | Tetragonia implexicoma |
| Brackish Plains Buttercup | Ranunculus diminutus |
| * | Burr Medic | Medicago polymorpha |
| * | Coast Sand-spurrey | Spergularia media |
| * | Common Sow-thistle | Sonchus oleraceus |
| Creeping Boobialla | Myoporum parvifolium |
| Creeping Brookweed | Samolus repens |
| Creeping Monkey-flower | Mimulus repens |
| * | Galenia | Galenia pubescens |
| * | Hottentot Fig | Carpobrotus edulis |
| Inland Pigface | Carpobrotus modestus |
| * | Karkalla | Carpobrotus rossii |
| Large River Buttercup | Ranunculus papulentus |
| New Zealand Spinach | Tetragonia tetragonoides |
| * | Orache | Atriplex prostrata |
| Salt Pratia | Lobelia irrigua |
| Spreading Crassula | Crassula decumbens |
| * | Strawberry Clover | Trifolium fragiferum |
| Swamp Crassula | Crassula helmsii |
| Swamp Weed | Selliera radicans |
| * | Water Buttons | Cotula coronopifolia |
| Erect Forbs | | |
| Annual Fireweed | Senecio glomeratus ssp. longifructus |
| * | Aster Weed | Aster subulatus |
| Austral Trefoil | Lotus australis |
| Clammy Sow-thistle | Sonchus tenerrimus |
| Grass Daisy | Brachyscome graminae |
| * | Hexham Scent | Melilotus indica |
| * | Prickly Lettuce | Lactuca serriola |
| Robust Willow-herb | Epilobium billardierianum |
| * | Rough Sow-thistle | Sonchus asper |
| Salt Groundsel | Senecio halophilus |
| Salt Lawrencia | Lawrencia spicata |
| * | Spear Thistle | Cirsium vulgare |
| * | Spiked Centaury | Schenkia spicata |
| Variable Groundsel | Senecio pinnatifolius |
| * | Water Ribbons | Triglochin procerum |
| * | Willow-leaf Lettuce | Latuca saligna |
| Flat weeds | | |
| * | Buck's Horn Plantain | Plantago coronopus |
| * | Cat's-ear | Hypochoeris radicata |
| * | Dandelion | Taraxacum spp. |
| * | Hairy Hawkbit | Leontodon taraxacoides |
| Native Yam Daisy | Microseris spp. |
| * | Ox-tongue | Helminthoteca echioides |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| * | Smooth Cat's-ear | Hypochoeris glabra |
| Shrubs | | |
| * | Bokhara Clover | Melilotus alba |
| * | Buckbush | Salsola tragus |
| Lignum | Muehlenbeckia florulenta |
| Marsh Saltbush | Atriplex paludosa |
| Thorny Lawrencia | Lawrencia squamata |
| Trees | | |
| Moonah | Melaleuca lanceolata |
| River Red-gum | Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
| Scented Paperbark | Melaleuca squarrosa |
| Totem Poles | Melaleuca decussata |
| Wirilda | Acacia retinodes |
| S2 - Moderately saline | ||
| Grasses | | |
| Adamson's Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis adamsonii |
| * | Annual Beard-grass | Polypogon monspeliensis |
| Australian Salt-grass | Distichlis distichophylla |
| Awnless Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis leviseta |
| Bristly Wallaby-grass | Austrodanthonia setacea |
| * | Coast Barb-grass | Parapholis incurva |
| * | Common Barb-grass | Hainardia cylindrica |
| Common Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis filiformis |
| Common Reed | Phragmites australis |
| * | Desmazeria | Tribolium acutiflorum |
| English Couch | Eltrigia repens |
| * | Mediterranean Barley-grass | Hordeum hystrix |
| Prickly Spear-grass | Austrostipa stipoides |
| Purple Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis punicea ssp. punicea Lachnagrostis punicea ssp. filifolia |
| * | Reed Canary-grass | Phalaris arundinacea |
| Salt Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis robusta |
| Salt Couch | Sporobolus virginicus |
| * | Sea Barley-grass | Hordeum marinum |
| * | Slender Barb-grass | Parapholis strigosa |
| * | Small Hair-grass | Molineriella minuta |
| Southern Cane-grass | Eragrostis infecunda |
| Streaked Arrow-grass | Triglochin striata |
| * | Tall Fescue | Festuca arundinacea |
| * | Tall Wheat-grass | Lophopyrum ponticum |
| * | Wimmera Rye-grass | Lolium rigidum |
| Wind-flattened Tussock-grass | Poa physoclina |
| Windmill-grass | Chloris truncata |
| Rush-like Plants | | |
| Bare Twig-rush | Baumea juncea |
| Caldwell's Club-rush | Bolboschoenus caldwellii |
| Cumbungi | Typha spp. |
| Cutting Sedge | Gahnia trifida |
| Giant Rush | Juncus ingens |
| Knobby Club-rush | Ficinia nodosa |
| Nodding Club-rush | Isolepis cernua |
| River Club-rush | Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani |
| Sharp Club-rush | Schoenoplectus pungens |
| Shiny Bog-rush | Schoenus nitens |
| * | Spiny Rush | Juncus acutus |
| Toad Rush | Juncus bufonius |
| Creeping Forbs | | |
| Annual Celery | Apium annuum |
| Austral Stonecrop | Crassula sieberiana |
| Bower Spinach | Tetragonia implexicoma |
| Brackish Plains Buttercup | Ranunculus diminutus |
| * | Coast Sand-spurrey | Spergularia media |
| Creeping Boobialla | Myoporum parvifolium |
| Creeping Brookweed | Samolus repens |
| Creeping Monkey-flower | Mimulus repens |
| * | Ferny Cotula | Cotula bipinnata |
| * | Galenia | Galenia pubescens |
| Glaucous Goosefoot | Chenopodium glaucum |
| * | Hottentot Fig | Carpobrotus edulis |
| Inland Pigface | Carpobrotus modestus |
| * | Karkalla | Carpobrotus rossii |
| Lesser Sea-spurrey | Spergularia marina |
| New Zealand Spinach | Tetragonia tetragonoides |
| * | Orache | Atriplex prostrata |
| * | Oval Purse | Hymenolobus procumbens |
| * | Red Sand-spurrey | Spergularia rubra |
| Robust Willow-herb | Epilobium billardierianum |
| Round-leaf Wilsonia | Wilsonia rotundifolia |
| Salt Pratia | Lobelia irrigua |
| Short-stem Sand-spurrey | Spergularia brevifolia |
| Spreading Crassula | Crassula decumbens |
| * | Strawberry Clover | Trifolium fragiferum |
| Swamp Crassula | Crassula helmsii |
| Swamp Weed | Selliera radicans |
| Tasmanian Sand-spurrey | Spergularia tasmanica |
| * | Water Buttons | Cotula coronopifolia |
| Erect Forbs | | |
| Annual Fireweed | Senecio glomeratus ssp. longifructus |
| * | Aster Weed | Aster subulatus |
| Grass Daisy | Brachyscome graminae |
| * | Hexham Scent | Melilotus indica |
| Salt Groundsel | Senecio halophilus |
| Salt Lawrencia | Lawrencia spicata |
| * | Spear Thistle | Cirsium vulgare |
| * | Spiked Centaury | Schenkia spicata |
| * | Water Ribbons | Triglochin procerum |
| Flat weeds | | |
| * | Buck's Horn Plantain | Plantago coronopus |
| * | Cat's-ear | Hypochoeris radicata |
| * | Hairy Hawkbit | Leontodon taraxacoides |
| * | Ox-tongue | Helminthoteca echioides |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| * | Smooth Cat's-ear | Hypochoeris glabra |
| Shrubs | | |
| * | Bokhara Clover | Melilotus alba |
| * | Buckbush | Salsola tragus |
| Coast Saltbush | Atriplex cinerea |
| Lignum | Muehlenbeckia florulenta |
| Marsh Saltbush | Atriplex paludosa |
| Thorny Lawrencia | Lawrencia squamata |
| Trees | | |
| Moonah | Melaleuca lanceolata |
| River Red-gum | Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
| Salt Paperbark | Melaleuca halmaturorum |
| Scented Paperbark | Melaleuca squarrosa |
| Totem Poles | Melaleuca decussata |
| Wirilda | Acacia retinodes |
| S3 - Highly saline | ||
| Grasses | | |
| Adamson's Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis adamsonii |
| * | Annual Beard-grass | Polypogon monspeliensis |
| Australian Salt-grass | Distichlis distichophylla |
| Awnless Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis leviseta |
| * | Borrer’s Saltmarsh-grass | Puccinellia fasciculata |
| Coast Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis billardierei ssp. billardierei |
| * | Coast Barb-grass | Parapholis incurva |
| * | Common Barb-grass | Hainardia cylindrica |
| Common Reed | Phragmites australis |
| * | Desmazeria | Tribolium acutiflorum |
| Lax Saltmarsh-grass | Puccinellia perlaxa |
| * | Mediterranean Barley-grass | Hordeum hystrix |
| Prickly Spear-grass | Austrostipa stipoides |
| * | Salt Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis robusta |
| Salt Couch | Sporobolus virginicus |
| * | Sea Barley-grass | Hordeum marinum |
| Streaked Arrow-grass | Triglochin striata |
| * | Tall Wheat-grass | Lophopyrum ponticum |
| Rush-like Plants | | |
| Bare Twig-rush | Baumea juncea |
| Chaffy Saw-sedge | Gahnia filum |
| Cutting Sedge | Gahnia trifida |
| * | Desmazeria | Tribolium acutiflorum |
| Nodding Club-rush | Isolepis cernua |
| Sea Rush | Juncus kraussii |
| * | Spiny Rush | Juncus acutus |
| Creeping Forbs | | |
| Annual Celery | Apium annuum |
| Bower Spinach | Tetragonia implexicoma |
| * | Coast Sand-spurrey | Spergularia media |
| Creeping Brookweed | Samolus repens |
| * | Ferny Cotula | Cotula bipinnata |
| * | Galenia | Galenia pubescens |
| Glaucous Goosefoot | Chenopodium glaucum |
| Karkalla | Carpobrotus rossii |
| Lesser Sea-spurrey | Spergularia marina |
| Narrow-leaf Wilsonia | Wilsonia backhousei |
| New Zealand Spinach | Tetragonia tetragonoides |
| * | Orache | Atriplex prostrata |
| * | Oval Purse | Hymenolobus procumbens |
| * | Red Sand-spurrey | Spergularia rubra |
| Round-leaf Wilsonia | Wilsonia rotundifolia |
| Salt Angianthus | Angianthus preissianus |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| Short-stem Sand-spurrey | Spergularia brevifolia |
| Silky Wilsonia | Wilsonia humilis |
| Swamp Crassula | Crassula helmsii |
| Swamp Weed | Selliera radicans |
| Tasmanian Sand-spurrey | Spergularia tasmanica |
| * | Water Buttons | Cotula coronopifolia |
| Erect Forbs | | |
| * | Hexham Scent | Melilotus indica |
| Salt Groundsel | Senecio halophilus |
| Salt Lawrencia | Lawrencia spicata |
| Water Ribbons | Triglochin procerum |
| Flat weeeds | | |
| * | Buck's Horn Plantain | Plantago coronopus |
| Shrubs | | |
| Austral Seablite | Suaeda australis |
| Beaded Glasswort | Sarcocornia quinqueflora |
| Berry Seablite | Suaeda baccifera |
| * | Bokhara Clover | Melilotus albus |
| * | Buckbush | Salsola tragus |
| Coast Saltbush | Atriplex cinerea |
| Marsh Saltbush | Atriplex paludosa |
| Shrubby Glasswort | Tecticornia arbuscula |
| Thorny Lawrencia | Lawrencia squamata |
| Trees | | |
| Moonah | Melaleuca lanceolata |
| Salt Paperbark | Melaleuca halmaturorum |
| Totem Poles | Melaleuca decussata |
| Wirilda | Acacia retinodes |
| S4 - Extremely saline | ||
| Grasses | | |
| Adamson's Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis adamsonii |
| Australian Salt-grass | Distichlis distichophylla |
| * | Borrer’s Saltmarsh-grass | Puccinellia fasciculata |
| * | Coast Barb-grass | Parapholis incurva |
| Lax Saltmarsh-grass | Puccinellia perlaxa |
| Salt Blown-grass | Lachnagrostis robusta |
| Salt Couch | Sporobolus virginicus |
| Streaked Arrow-grass | Triglochin striata |
| Rush-like Plants | | |
| Chaffy Saw-sedge | Gahnia filum |
| Cutting Sedge | Gahnia trifida |
| Salt Couch | Sporobolus virginicus |
| Sea Rush | Juncus kraussii |
| * | Spiny Rush | Juncus acutus |
| Creeping Forbs | | |
| * | Ferny Cotula | Cotula bipinnata |
| Glaucous Goosefoot | Chenopodium glaucum |
| Lesser Sea-spurrey | Spergularia marina |
| Narrow-leaf Wilsonia | Wilsonia backhousei |
| Round-leaf Wilsonia | Wilsonia rotundifolia |
| Salt Angianthus | Angianthus preissianus |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| Short-stem Sand-spurrey | Spergularia brevifolia |
| Silky Wilsonia | Wilsonia humilis |
| Tasmanian Sand-spurrey | Spergularia tasmanica |
| * | Water Buttons | Cotula coronopifolia |
| Flat weeds | | |
| * | Buck's Horn Plantain | Plantago coronopus |
| * | Sea Rocket | Cakile edentula / C. maritima |
| Shrubs | | |
| Austral Seablite | Suaeda australis |
| Coast Saltbush | Atriplex cinerea |
| Marsh Saltbush | Atriplex paludosa |
| Shrubby Glasswort | Tecticornia arbuscula |
| Trees | | |
| Salt Paperbark | Melaleuca halmaturorum |
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