Australian Plant Society Mornington Peninsula is proud to host the 15th FJC Rogers Seminar about Epacrids, more commonly known as the Australian Heaths.
Held over 2 days this seminar will explore all things Epacrids.
Why Epacrids 2025?
Two general characteristics of the Epacrids are:
1) They are not show stopper plants. Their beauty is in their delicacy - tiny flowers strung in clusters from often straggly stems.
2) They are fiendishly difficult to cultivate.
This is probably why, to quote WA Herbarium’s botanist Michael Hislop, the specialist for West Australian epacrids, "The Australian epacrids have been a rather neglected group historically and certainly merit greater attention from an ecological and horticultural perspective."
APS Mornington Peninsula District Group are keen for you to help address the neglect . When you attend the seminar, on day 1 (August 2) you will hear the answers to some or all of the following questions:
How to identify a member of the Epacrids sub-family?
What is the current state of research - re-identification as a result of DNA analysis, development of keys, what is happening with (for example) Styphelia?
Where do these plants occur, what plant communities, what role do they play in these communities?
What's their conservation status, what challenges are they facing due to climate change and human activities?
How to propagate them, why are they so difficult to cultivate, any indicators that this will become more successful? Hybrids? Success and failure stories.
And on that last question, you will be given the opportunity to add to horticultural knowledge by buying the plants on sale.
Apart from the dynamic mix of talks, panel discussions, and workshops there will be added opportunities to browse and purchase books and plants, discover unique botanical fabrics, and admire photographic and art displays celebrating this unique species.
This sets the stage for Sunday's bus excursions to see the Epacrids in their natural setting. You will be visiting Langwarrin Fauna and Flora Reserve, George Pentland Botanic Gardens, Bunarong Park and Devilbend Natural Feature Reserve.
More information can be found at
https://apsvic.org.au/fjc-rogers-seminar-2025/
Tickets available at
https://events.humanitix.com/-jmqntwlj
Also check out other Workshops in Mornington, Arts events in Mornington, Business events in Mornington.
