Australian Native Plants

One of the greatest features about Australia iscompared to other native flowers. It can grow to
the staggering amount of native flowers andup to two feet in length, with the flowers growing
plants that it has. Currently there have beenon four-foot stems. It is the floral emblem of
24,000 different species identified to date andWestern Australia. There are 11 different species
there are more being discovered each year. Theyof this flower with this particular one having a
range from small flowers to large trees andshort lifespan.
populate the entire continent. Australia is truly aNow we arrive at the Waratah whose scientific
land of wonder for flora and fauna researchers.name is Telopea Speciosissima. This flower is
Up first is the Bottle Brush also known as thefound mainly on the coastal plain of New South
Callistemon. This is one of the most numerousWhales with four different varieties, one of which
native flowers with over 1000 species and isgrows on trees. It consists of several hundred
essentially a shrub. It is a very hardy plant thatsmaller flowers that merge to form one large
has a paper bark and comes in a variety ofhead. They are often tooth-edged and grow in
colors. These shrubs vary in size from a few feetrocky and sandy soils.
to the size of full-grown trees.Last on our list is the Sturts Desert Pea,
Next, we have the Wax Flower or Eriostemon,alternatively known as the Clianthus Formosus.
this group has about 40 different species. MostThis is a trailing plant that crawls across the
have five petals and five sepals. They are usuallyground as it grows. It is the current floral emblem
arranged in a star like pattern and are in shadesof Southern Australia. It has long red flowers that
of pink to almost white. They are common to thecan grow to 10 centimeters in length, and its
coasts of Eastern Australia and grow in clusters.stalks and leaves are covered in silky grey hairs.
Like all Australian flora they are very hardy plants.The flowers themselves stand upright on stalks
This next one is one of the most well knownabout 30 centimeters high, and the plant can
native flowers in Australia. It is called the Wattlecover several feet.
also known as the Golden Wattle, or AcaciaAustralia is one of the most diverse countries
Pycnantha. This flower is the current national floralecologically on the face of the earth. It has an
emblem featured on the coat of arms. They canimmense range of wild flowers along with other
be found all over Australia with over 600 differentplant and animal life. So much that it would take
varieties. The individual flowers are small andseveral hundred encyclopedia-sized books to
usually massed together on rod like spikes.document them all. It's also one of the most
Now we come to the Red and Green Kangaroobeautiful tourist and vacation spots and has many
Paw officially designated the Anigozanthosactivities available to people.
Manglesii. This one is rather unique when