Flower news
Shows and festivalsNow's The Time To Grab That Bag Of Winterizer - WJBO Lawn & Garden ShowDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodShows and festivalsNow's The Time To Grab That Bag Of Winterizer - WJBO Lawn & Garden ShowDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of food
Phool

🇦🇺 The flowers of Australia

216 pages from Australia: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 60 cities and regions.

Australia is home to over 21,000 native flowering plants, shaped by ancient Gondwanan roots and a long history of isolation. Its flora is famous for unique adaptations to drought and fire, with many species found nowhere else. Iconic flowers include the golden wattle, waratah, banksia, and Sturt's desert pea.

  • Over 85% of Australia's vascular plants are found nowhere else.
  • Golden wattle is the national floral emblem.
  • Banksias and grevilleas evolved unique fire adaptations.
  • More than 800 native orchid species grow in Australia.
  • Sturt's desert pea is famous for its red and black flowers.

The plant life of Australia

Australia's plant life is shaped by its dry climate, old soils, and long separation from other continents. Most flowering plants here are found only in Australia. The land supports a wide range of habitats, from arid grasslands to rainforests, but many plants have tough leaves and special ways to survive drought and fire. Eucalyptus, acacia, banksia, and grevillea are among the most common and recognizable groups. Orchids, kangaroo paws, and grass trees also add to the variety. The country’s flora stands out for its high number of unique species and families.

From region to region in Australia

Plant life changes greatly across Australia. The arid interior is dominated by spinifex grasses and acacia shrubs. Eucalypt woodlands and forests are common in areas with more rain, especially in the east and southeast. Rainforests and vine thickets are found in wetter coastal regions and the far north, while chenopod and samphire shrubs grow in salty or near-estuarine areas. Palms and screw pines are mostly in the tropics. Each region has its own mix of flowering plants adapted to local conditions.

Flowers to know in Australia

Australia’s floral emblem is the golden wattle (Acacia), known for its bright yellow flower clusters. The waratah, with its large red blooms, is another well-known native. Banksias and grevilleas are famous for their unusual flower spikes and are important for wildlife. Sturt’s desert pea stands out in arid areas with its striking red and black flowers. Many orchids, kangaroo paws, and everlasting daisies are also unique to Australia. Some plant families, like the Proteaceae and Myrtaceae, have radiated into hundreds of species found only here.

Threats and protection in Australia

Australia’s flora faces threats from land clearing, agriculture, and urban development. Over 1,000 plant species are endangered, and at least 61 have gone extinct since European settlement. About 18% of forests are protected, but no primary forest remains untouched by humans. Fire, both natural and human-made, shapes many plant communities, but changes in fire patterns and invasive species add new pressures.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Flora of Australia", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Flower experiences in Australia

All 8
🇦🇺 Perth · Jul to OctWildflower country north of PerthA spring road trip through the wheatbelt and coast of Western Australia, among carpets of everlastings. 🇦🇺 Perth · Aug to NovKings Park and the Western Australian Botanic GardenA bushland park above Perth with a botanic garden devoted to the flora of Western Australia. 🇦🇺 Grafton · Oct to NovGrafton Jacaranda FestivalA river town in New South Wales whose avenues of jacarandas flower for a long-running festival. 🇦🇺 Canberra · Sep to OctFloriade in CanberraAustralia's big spring bulb show, a month of tulips and annuals in a lakeside park. 🇦🇺 Sydney · All yearSydney Flower Market at dawnThe wholesale flower hall at Sydney Markets in Flemington, open to the public in the early hours. 🇦🇺 Sydney · All yearRoyal Botanic Garden SydneyA harbourside garden founded in 1816, beside the Opera House, with native and exotic collections.

Cities and regions of Australia

Western Australia 13Queensland 8Sydney 8Victoria 6New South Wales 5Perth 5Tasmania 4Blue Mountains 3Canberra 3Northern Territory 3South Australia 3Toowoomba 3Adelaide 2Botany Bay 2Brisbane 2Cairns 2Cooktown 2Dandenong Ranges 2Geelong 2Geraldton Sandplains 2Kalbarri 2Melbourne 2Swan Coastal Plain 2Wollongong 2Acton 1Armidale 1Arrowsmith 1Avon Wheatbelt 1Ballarat 1Beeac 1Bellarine Peninsula 1Bendigo 1Boolardy Station 1Bowral 1Brisbane Ranges 1Bruny Island 1Bundaberg 1Caloundra 1Cape Leeuwin 1Cape Riche 1Cape York Peninsula 1Carnarvon Gorge 1Catherine Hill Bay 1Coorow 1Cranbourne 1Dandaragan plateau 1Darling Range 1Darwin 1East Gippsland 1East Melbourne 1Eden 1Edge Hill 1Eneabba 1Esperance 1Eyre Peninsula 1Flemington 1Flinders Island 1Georges River National Park 1Gibraltar Range National Park 1Gingin scarp 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
KindWildflowerGarden flowerCut flowerFlowering treeFlowering shrubBulb flowerClimberOrchidWater flowerCactus or succulentAlpine flowerTropical flowerHerb or useful flower
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
Cherokee roseRosa laevigata A white, fragrant climbing rose from southern China with bristly red hips 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower Butterfly peaClitoria ternatea A climbing herb with vivid blue flowers used for dye, tea and soil improvement 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 8 more · Climber Bermuda buttercupOxalis pes-caprae A bright yellow-flowered plant with a sharp, sour taste 🇿🇦 South Africa and 3 more · Wildflower Guettarda speciosa A coastal shrub with fragrant white flowers found on tropical beaches 🇦🇺 Australia and 5 more · Wildflower Spear thistleCirsium vulgare Tall, spiny thistle with purple flowers and a symbol of Scotland 🇦🇺 Australia and 2 more · Wildflower Cotton thistleOnopordum acanthium Tall, spiny thistle with pink to lavender globe-shaped flowers 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower BroomCytisus scoparius A yellow-flowered shrub found wild and grown in gardens, now invasive in many regions 🇮🇪 Ireland and 6 more · Flowering shrub Poison bulbCrinum asiaticum A large white-flowered lily grown in warm gardens, toxic if eaten 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 5 more · Wildflower Orange jasmineMurraya paniculata A fragrant shrub or small tree with white flowers and orange-red berries 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Spanish cherryMimusops elengi A fragrant evergreen tree with cream flowers and edible fruit 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Flowering tree Calotropis procera A tall, toxic shrub with balloon-like fruit and silky seed fibers 🇦🇴 Angola and 7 more · Wildflower Beach naupakaScaevola taccada A salt-tolerant shrub with fan-shaped white flowers on tropical beaches 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Japanese honeysuckleLonicera japonica A twining vine with sweetly scented white and yellow flowers from East Asia 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Common bird's-foot trefoilLotus corniculatus A yellow pea-flowered wild plant found in grasslands and fields 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower WaxflowerChamelaucium Evergreen shrubs with waxy, aromatic flowers from Western Australia 🇦🇺 Australia and 1 more · Wildflower Sweet-briarRosa rubiginosa A thorny rose shrub with apple-scented leaves and pink flowers 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 more · Wildflower Purple-loosestrifeLythrum salicaria Tall spikes of reddish-purple flowers found in wetlands and gardens 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Eryngium A spiny-leaved plant with blue or white flower heads, grown in gardens and used in cooking 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Rose-of-SharonHypericum calycinum A spreading shrub with bright yellow flowers, grown for ground cover and gardens 🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 1 more · Flowering shrub Hardy fuchsiaFuchsia magellanica A South American shrub with drooping red and purple flowers 🇦🇷 Argentina and 5 more · Flowering shrub Solanum laxum A woody evergreen vine with clusters of white or pale blue flowers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 4 more · Garden flower Perennial peaLathyrus latifolius A sprawling perennial vine with pink or white pea-like flowers 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Wildflower Watsonia Tall, showy corm plants from southern Africa, known as bugle-lilies 🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Wildflower Elegant zinniaZinnia elegans A bright annual garden flower from Mexico with many colourful forms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 more · Garden flower BlueminkAgeratum houstonianum A fluffy blue annual often grown in garden borders and balcony boxes 🇬🇹 Guatemala and 7 more · Wildflower Amaryllis A South African bulb with pink or white funnel-shaped blooms on bare stems 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Bulb flower Poppy Bright-petalled flowers grown for gardens, seeds, and remembrance 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 7 more · Wildflower Kangaroo paw Unusual tubular flowers from south-western Australia, shaped like a kangaroo’s paw 🇦🇺 Australia and 3 more · Wildflower Common GorseUlex europaeus A tough, spiny yellow-flowered shrub of Western Europe 🇳🇿 New Zealand and 6 more · Flowering shrub Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii A honey-scented shrub with lilac to purple flower spikes, loved by butterflies 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Flowering shrub Pride of IndiaLagerstroemia speciosa A tree with showy pink to purple flowers, grown across South and Southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 6 more · Flowering tree Illawarra flame treeBrachychiton acerifolius A tall Australian tree with bright red bell-shaped flowers 🇦🇺 Australia · Flowering tree Golden trumpet treeHandroanthus chrysotrichus A Brazilian tree with golden-yellow trumpet-shaped spring flowers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 more · Flowering tree Yellow Flame TreePeltophorum pterocarpum A tall tree with masses of golden yellow summer flowers 🇦🇺 Australia and 7 more · Flowering tree Spanish BluebellHyacinthoides hispanica A spring bulb with upright blue, pink, or white bell-shaped flowers 🇪🇸 Spain and 3 more · Wildflower Pride of MadeiraEchium candicans A tall blue-flowered shrub native to Madeira, grown in gardens worldwide 🇦🇺 Australia and 1 more · Wildflower NasturtiumTropaeolum majus A bright edible flower with round leaves and trailing stems 🇧🇴 Bolivia and 5 more · Garden flower Proteasuikerbos Large-headed South African flowers called sugarbushes, with many wild species 🇿🇦 South Africa and 7 more · Wildflower Grevillea Evergreen shrubs and trees with distinctive spider-like flowers 🇦🇺 Australia and 2 more · Wildflower Geraldton waxChamelaucium uncinatum A hardy Australian shrub with long-lasting white or pink flowers 🇦🇺 Australia · Wildflower Boronia A genus of fragrant shrubs mostly found in Australia’s open forests 🇦🇺 Australia · Wildflower New South Wales waratahTelopea speciosissima Large red flowered shrub and emblem of New South Wales, Australia 🇦🇺 Australia and 2 more · Wildflower Vandaवन्दाका A tropical orchid genus prized for its vivid, long-lasting flowers 🇮🇳 India and 5 more · Wildflower Curcuma A group of ginger relatives with edible rhizomes, including turmeric 🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Herb or useful flower Agapanthus Blue to white summer flowers from southern Africa, grown worldwide in gardens 🇿🇦 South Africa and 7 more · Garden flower PipewortEriocaulon Small wetland flowers found across tropical and temperate regions 🇦🇺 Australia and 4 more · Wildflower Hare's-tail grassLagurus ovatus A soft, oval-headed grass from the Mediterranean, grown for its fluffy flower heads 🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 more · Wildflower China asterCallistephus chinensis A showy garden flower from China with many colorful cultivated forms 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Garden flower
PreviousMore

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly bunch

Every Monday: what is in bloom, the flower festivals of the week, seven flowers you may not know and one tradition explained.