Planting the Green Roof and Wall in Warmer Climates Theme: Green roofs and walls - design and

implementation Key words: plant selection, species, subtropical climate, substrate, e tensi!e "bstract A critical component of green roofs and walls is the green. If a green roof or wall is to succeed, the plants must grow and thrive. The purpose of this paper is to provide practitioners with skills to select appropriate plants for use on Extensive Green oofs and Green !alls in su"tropical and tropical climates. !hilst each situation will var#, certain traits identif# specific plants which ma# "e more suita"le for these conditions. #pecific #ite Conditions Ever# roof or wall pro$ect presents a slightl# different com"ination of site conditions. A thorough site inspection is necessar#. A practitioner is "etter e%uipped to make appropriate plant selections if he&she is familiar with these distinctive growing conditions. This needs to "e "alanced with the desires or needs and "udget of the client. Intensive Green oofs 'in the form of planters or roof gardens( have "een widel# installed around much of Australia and generall# appear to "e ver# successful, however there are man# issues specific to Extensive Green oofs or Green !alls. )onditions to review include* +ocal climate Aspect and microclimate !ater ,u"strate and weight limitations !ind -aintenance )ultural $ocal Climate In warm climates, under direct sun, and with reflective heat, roofs can "ecome ver# hot in summer 'enough to fr# an egg.(. -ost plants prefer cool root s#stems and can perform poorl# in overl# warm conditions. In the humid su"tropical and tropical /one, this is often coupled with moisture and high humidit#. ain can "e intense and highl# erosive and the su"strate needs to "e well protected0 have "inding additives0 and have ade%uate drainage. "spect and %icroclimate 1rientation to different aspects can result in ver# different growing conditions. In the southern hemisphere, roofs or walls which are exposed to* !esterl# aspects 2 can "e su"$ected to extreme afternoon sun in summer0 3ortherl# aspects 2 can "e su"$ected to sun all da# long, having an extended

growing season in more southerl# latitudes0 Easterl# aspects 4 receive less intense morning sun, and shade from the afternoon sun, and0 ,outherl# aspects 4 shaded "# ad$acent "uildings for the cooler months of the #ear 4 however in tropical areas, as the sun moves over the Tropic of )ancer, ma# receive intense summer sun for a "rief period.

The location of ad$acent "uildings ma# create shadowing from sun and rain. +ocal industr# or traffic ma# result in issues of dust and pollutants. Water +imited su"strate depth results in more varia"le soil moisture levels. -oisture deficits are particularl# marked in winter and spring in northern Australia when transpiration and evaporation levels far exceed precipitation levels and when humidit# is low. In tropical and su"tropical areas it appears regular irrigation is needed on extensive roofs to avoid plant failure. )urrentl# in ,outh East 5ueensland, on site rainwater collection needs to "e installed as pota"le water is no longer availa"le for landscape use. It is likel# this will "e re%uired in other regions in the future. #ubstrate and Weight $imitations +ike natural soils, the su"strate "uffers extremes in temperature, moisture and nutrient availa"ilit#. Extensive roofs with shallow soil profiles have "een less widel# installed in warmer climates. In ,ingapore, where more Green oofs and Green !alls have "een constructed than an#where else in the tropics, the# have found it necessar# to increase soil depths alongside regular irrigation and the use of tough plants to ensure success In warm, moist climates the organic component of the su"strate "reaks down rapidl#, resulting in slumpage, anaero"ic conditions and the "lockage of filtration and drainage s#stems. To reduce weight, man# of the recommended mixes have a high component of organic matter. This ma# need to "e replaced with expanded volcanic gravels products such as perlite or rec#cled waste products such as pol#st#rene granules. -an# su"tropical and tropical plants have strong associations with the soil micro"iolog#. An organic approach avoiding the use of her"icides, pesticides and artificial fertilisers and inoculation with appropriate foliar and soil teas and innociulates can enhance growth and nutrient and water uptake. Wind Green oofs and Green !alls are often exposed to high wind levels. In su"tropical and tropical areas this can also include highl# destructive c#clonic winds. Trees and plants with um"rella2like canopies or plants that are not strongl# structured or well rooted ma# "e torn from the su"strate. 6lants which are ground hugging or root adventitiousl# into the su"strate will "e "etter a"le to flourish in these conditions. %aintenance

6lants which grow %uickl#, create a lot of litter, are su"$ect to die"ack or that are short lived re%uire regular maintenance. This ma# not "e possi"le on an extensive Green !all or Green oof. !here this is not possi"le, select slow growing, long lived plants. 7er"aceous clumping plants that root adventitiousl# into the su"strate are prefera"le to shru"s or wood# groundcovers. To avoid infiltration "# weeds 'eg 8ig or 9m"rella Trees(, a dense planting cover is re%uired. Cultural In warm climates there appears to "e an expectation that landscapes will look good all #ear round. This is in contrast to cooler climates where there is an acceptance that during winter plantings ma# die down or disappear and that replanting ma# "e re%uired in spring. The Plants As would "e expected, the most successful plants are those that naturall# grow in similar conditions 2 exposed rock# cliffs, high in the canop# of trees and in areas of varia"le rainfall* +ithoph#tes0 Epiph#tes, and 0 ,ucculent plants. !ith plant "iodiversit# increasing as one approaches the e%uator, there is a large palette of species to choose from. 1ther traits of plants likel# to perform well on Green oofs and Green !alls include* ,low growing, long lived plants re%uiring minimal maintenance0 6lants tolerant of varia"le soil moisture conditions if irrigation is not availa"le or continuous0 6lants tolerant of harsh sun and hot temperatures along with humidit# and moisture 4 conversel#, tolerant of shade if these are the existing conditions0 6lants which clump or root into the su"strate 4 these are less likel# to fail during wind# conditions, and* 6lants that do not contain flamma"le oils or produce %uantities of dr# foliage which ma# catch alight. 7igh in the "ranches of trees or on cliff faces, plants are su"$ected to man# of the climatic extremes that most resem"le those of green roofs or green walls 4 in particular varia"le water availa"ilit#, wind exposure, and the need to "e well rooted into the support or su"strate. ,ome genera including suita"le species include* Aechmea, 6ortea, 5uesnelia, 3eoregelia, 6lat#cerium, :r#naria, Tradescantia, 6teris, 6lectranthus, ;ul"ine, Epidendrum, :endro"ium. The other plants that perform well on green roofs are succulents. 1nce again the# are

adapted to varia"le moisture regimes and those from warmer climates, are adapted to warmer summer temperatures and summer rain. ,ome genera including suita"le species include* Agave, Aloe, ,enecio, ,edum, Graptoveria, <alanchoe and Euphor"ia. &e Cautious )ertain plants are less likel# to perform or prove suita"le for Green oofs or Green !alls in su"tropical and tropical areas. These include* )limaticall# inappropriate plants 4 those from temperate and -editerranean climates 4 either non2native or native 'eg Thymus spp, Lavendula spp, Anigozanthus cvs(0 ,chleroph#l plants 4 these plants don=t store water or go into dormanc# 4 if the# run out of water, the# can often die0 8orest dwellers 4 these plants are not suited to exposed conditions0 6lants that re%uire specific soil conditions or fungal&"acterial associations0 8ast growing plants 4 producing high %uantities of litter, or re%uiring regular pruning0 6lants with large canop# to root ratio, "rittle "ranches&roots or that ma# "e damaged in high winds0 6lants lacking foliage densit#, that ma# "e su"$ect to weed infiltration0 ,hort lived plants 'eg Brachyscome cvs, Scaevola cvs, Westringia spp(, and0 8lamma"le plants with a high oil content or that die "ack leaving a mass of dried leaves 'eg* Melaleauca spp, Pennesetum spp Themeda australis etc(. Conclusion +ook around our tropical and su"tropical towns and cities and note how the warmth, moisture and humidit# fosters aerial plant growth. +eft undistur"ed, walls and structures naturall# "ecome covered in plants. These include tree species such as the native 8ig Trees 'Ficus benjamina, F rubiginosa and F virens( and um"rella trees 'Sche!!lera actino"hylla(. In shaded locations, ferns such as elk and staghorn 'Platycerium bi!urcatum, P hillii and P su"erbum( "asket fern '#rynaria rigidula(, 8ish"one fern '$e"hrole"is cordi!olia and $ hirsutula%, )liff ;rake 8ern 'Pteris vittata( colonise walls. !e can learn from nature "# understanding our site and "# selecting appropriate plants 4 in particular slow growing, low maintenance epiph#tic, lithoph#tic and succulent plants. )oastal northern Australia has great climates for esta"lishing green walls and green roofs and the potential for the successful use of man# excellent plant species. +et=s make ;ris"ane the Green oof and Green !all capital of Australia.