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Facts About Australian Flowers
Flowers, one of the most beautiful things nature has given us. There isn’t a person on this Earth who doesn’t appreciate both the look and the smell of a certain flower. There are so many different types of flowers in this world that we can’t even imagine. Facts About Australian Flowers.
But have you ever just thought about all the different types of flowers Australia has which other countries or even continents don’t? Australia is famous for certain animal species that are only native to this continent, but what about flowers? You’re at the right place to find out something new about Australian flowers and their species.
Golden Wattle is Australia’s national flower
Acacia pycnantha or golden wattle is the national flower of Australia. The golden wattle can be found in Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory to name a few places.
This flower belongs to the Mimosa family and is most famous for its large fluffy yellow flower heads that give off a sweet smell. It usually blooms at the beginning of September (spring in Australia) and because of this September 1is celebrated as the Wattle Day, the day of rebirth, fresh beginnings.
Similarly, because the golden wattle is the symbol for all of this it’s been chosen as the official floral emblem of Australia. It’s featured on many Australia’s medals and awards and it’s even appeared on Queen Elizabeth II coronation gown.
Kangaroo Paw is the most iconic flower of Australia
If you don’t know much about Australias flowers that’s ok but you must have seen this beautiful flower native to Australia. Kangaroo Paw is a large brightly colored velvety flower that doesn’t seem to have any fragrance.
It originates from Western Australia and it usually blooms in spring or early summer. Interestingly, this flower has nothing to do with kangaroos – apart from both kangaroos and this flower being native to Australia.
These flowers come in various different colors and are one of the most iconic Australian flowers.
Stuart’s desert pea is the state flower of South Australia
South Australia is best known for its distinctive blood-red-leaf-like flower that is known as Stuart’s desert pea. If you want to find out about flowers from Adelaide you must start with this flower. Discovered in the area between Adelaide and Central Australia, Stuart’s desert pea became the South Australias emblem flower in 1961.
It was named after Charles Stuart who noted the plant’s presence in 1844. This plant is also known as Swainsona Formosa.
Stuart’s desert pea grows on a creeping vine and it has a long stem with a red flower with a black center.
The corpse flower smells the worst
Exotic flowers are a kind of their own, and that’s why we can’t mention Adelaide without mentioning the titan arum or the corpse flower.
We can say without a doubt that this plant is one of the rarest flowers in the world. And even though it looks like the corpse flower is one huge flower, it’s not actually. This plant has clusters of blooms – it has a big central spike that is encircled by “male” and “female” flowers. The interesting thing about this plant is that it takes years, sometimes even decades for it to bloom.
Another distinctive feature of this flower is its horrible smell – you can only imagine why it’s been given such a horrible name – the corpse flower. If you want to see this flower up close and personal, visit Adelaide Botanic Garden.
Cooktown Orchid is the emblem of Queensland
This beautiful flower is native to northern Queensland and thus it’s the floral emblem of Queensland. These flowers used to grow around Cooktown but today, unfortunately, these flowers are very rare.
This plant is known to grow up to 80cm in height and it can produce from 3 to 20 flowering canes which can carry at least 20 flowers. The flowers itself are a stunning lilac color and they bloom between March and July.
Australian Honeysuckle blooms over the winter, too
Also known as Banksia, Australian honeysuckles are native to south-western Australia. At least 60 species are recorded in this area.
The flowers are made up of clusters of tiny individual flowers with colors ranging from red to yellow. They come in various sizes and many bloom even over fall and winter.
These popular flowers make ideal arrangements for different events. Similarly, they can be grown in gardens. They like drained soil and sunny positions.
Waratah could have been the national flower
This iconic flower, native to New South Wales, is one of the most beautiful Australian flowers. Recognizable for its bulbous blood-red flower heads on long stems and with razored leaves, this native wildflower has many different variations but the NSW waratah is the most famous one.
It blooms in spring and in 1962 this flower became New South Wales’ state emblem. The interesting story is that this flower was a contender for Australia’s national flower title as well. In the end, the golden wattle took the title.
Royal Bluebells are legally protected
These small blue flowers are mostly found in the alpine area of the Australian Capital Territory and in 1982 it was proclaimed as the floral emblem of the Australian Capital Territory.
The petals of this flower are egg-shaped and are usually light blue towards the centre of the flower. Normally, they bloom from October to March and they grow in sunny or semi-shaded positions.
What you should know is that these little blue flowers are protected and should not be picked or collected.
Pink rock Lilly famous for its beauty
One of the most beautiful flowers endemic to eastern Australia is the pink rock, Lilly. These beautiful pink-white flowers grow exclusively on rock faces or rock crevices. Their flowering season is from August to November and they require the shade in order to bloom nicely.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that we merely scratched the surface of all the facts that Australian flowers have to offer. There are thousands of other types of flowers native to Australia that have their own interesting facts. However, we hope that you’ve learned something new about these couple of iconic Australian flowers we mentioned here. Facts About Australian Flowers.
