Waratah flowers
- Posted: 8 January 2010 (Permalink)
Written by Margaret Hall
The brilliant red waratah is the state flower emblem for New South Wales. The waratah was the centerpiece for the Sydney Olympic Games floral bouquets. It was surrounded by 12 other kinds of native flora, including the flannel flower and kangaroo paws.
This magnificent plant (Telopea speciosissima) grows in coastal and nearby mountain areas, with its great heads shining like a beacon in the bush. Its grows as a large shrub or small tree and flowers readily in the right conditions – deep well drained slightly acidic soil in full sun or partial shade. The flower heads are large and waxy with incurved florets and have a ring of bright red bracts. Seeds are formed in leathery pods up to 12 cm long. Waratahs flower in the spring.
Pick waratahs when they are fully mature (with no more than 5% of the individual flowers open). They have a vase life of about 13 days at 20°C.
The plant has been hybridized and is now available in whites and pinks. There are 5 species in the family – including the very spectacular tree waratah found in Tasmania.
If you have any advice on prolonging the life of cut waratahs please send your comment through the contact on this website.
Waratah