Recommended Plants for Local Gardens

Choose plants that match your local soil and conditions to help your garden thrive and support biodiversity. Use the guide below to identify your soil type, see where it occurs in SJ, and download species lists for each area.

Identify your soil Regions & soil types Soil details Species lists (PDF)

How to identify your soil

Visit your nearest Landcare Centre to view local soil maps and confirm your soil type. In SJ, the north–south Darling Range marks a transition from gravelly hills to fertile clay plains and coastal sands.

Regions & soil types across Serpentine Jarrahdale

Region / Locality Soil Type(s) Typical Features Example Native Vegetation
Jarrahdale Darling Scarp / Laterite Gravelly clay; elevated; higher rainfall Jarrah, marri, banksia, snottygobble
Serpentine (incl. NP & River Valley) Darling Plateau / Valley loams & clays Clay loams, gravel; well-drained forested areas Jarrah, marri, flooded gum, banksia, shrubs
Mundijong Pinjarra Plain – Guildford & Beermullah Alluvial clays/loams; some waterlogging Paperbark, sheoak, marri, flooded gum
Cardup Foothills – Forrestfield; some Guildford Sandy-gravel; well-drained Ridge Hill Shelf Jarrah, marri, banksia, sheoak, woody pear
Byford (east of SW Hwy) Foothills – Forrestfield Sand & gravel; slightly elevated Jarrah–marri woodland, banksia understorey
Byford (west of SW Hwy) Pinjarra Plain – Guildford / Serpentine River Loams & clays on low plains; poorly drained areas Sheoak, paperbark, sedges, marri
Oakford Bassendean Sands / Southern River Pale sands; low fertility; wet depressions Banksia woodland, woollybush, paperbark
Whitby & Karrakup Transition – Darling Plateau → Pinjarra Plain Gravel to clay-loam; drainage lines Jarrah, marri, wandoo, shrubs
Keysbrook Pinjarra Plain – Beermullah & Serpentine River Fertile clays/loams; flat; wetland areas Paperbark, flooded gum, sedges
Hopeland Bassendean & Southern River Sands over clay; can be acidic/waterlogged Banksia woodland, marri, flooded gum

Soil type details

Different soil landscapes across SJ support distinct native vegetation communities.

Hills — Darling Scarp & Darling Plateau

Clay–gravel mixes; hard in summer, moist in winter; highest rainfall. Erosion exposes granite and laterite. Shallow soils: shrubs & herbs. Deeper soils: jarrah, marri, wandoo, flooded gum.

Foothills — Forrestfield (Ridge Hill Shelf)

Sandy–gravel, well-drained. Supports jarrah–marri woodland with banksia, sheoak and woody pear. Example: Cardup Reserve.

Pinjarra Plain — Beermullah, Guildford & Serpentine River

Alluvial clays and loams. Guildford: sand/loam over clay; Beermullah: saline or waterlogged; Serpentine River soils: flat, poorly drained. Vegetation includes sheoak, paperbark, marri, flooded gum, and sedgelands.

Bassendean Dunes — Bassendean sands, Southern River & Bassendean swamps

Pale, nutrient-poor sands. Banksia woodland with woollybush understorey. Peaty swamps contain paperbark, flooded gum, marri. Southern River soils: wind-blown sand over clay.

Spearwood Dunes — Karrakatta (minor in far west)

Coastal yellow sands; very free-draining. Supports marri/jarrah/tuart woodlands with banksia and sheoak.

Plant species lists 

Download recommended native species lists for your soil type. 

Need advice? Chat to our Environment Team. Contact us.