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🇦🇺 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
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
AlmondPrunus amygdalus A Mediterranean tree grown for its fragrant spring flowers and edible seeds 🇮🇷 Iran and 6 more · Flowering tree RosemarySalvia rosmarinus A fragrant evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves and purple, blue, or white flowers 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 more · Flowering shrub YarrowAchillea millefolium A wild, fern-leaved plant with flat clusters of white or pink flowers and a spicy scent 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower RapeseedBrassica napus A yellow-flowered crop grown for its oil-rich seeds and protein meal 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Forget-me-notMyosotis Small blue wildflowers known for remembrance and love 🇳🇿 New Zealand and 7 more · Wildflower Black locustRobinia pseudoacacia A tall, fragrant-flowered tree native to eastern North America 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Flowering tree LantanaLantana camara A colourful shrub with clusters of small, changing flowers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 9 more · Flowering shrub Place Wollongong Botanic Garden A public garden with themed plant collections in Wollongong, Australia Wollongong, 🇦🇺 Australia · Botanical garden Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare A white-petalled wildflower of meadows, now found across much of the world 🇱🇻 Latvia and 6 more · Wildflower Spanish broomSpartium junceum A tall shrub with rush-like stems and fragrant yellow flowers 🇵🇪 Peru and 6 more · Flowering shrub California poppyEschscholzia californica The golden-orange wildflower and state flower of California 🇺🇸 United States and 6 more · Wildflower Red-and-green kangaroo pawAnigozanthos manglesii The red and green floral emblem of Western Australia 🇦🇺 Australia · Wildflower Golden everlastingXerochrysum bracteatum Papery yellow or white daisy flowers native to Australia, lasting long after picking 🇦🇺 Australia and 6 more · Wildflower Wild daffodilNarcissus pseudonarcissus A pale yellow spring flower and the national emblem of Wales 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 9 more · Wildflower Bull banksiaBanksia grandis A tall, fire-resistant tree with large lobed leaves and pale yellow flower spikes 🇦🇺 Australia · Flowering tree BottlebrushCallistemon Shrubs with brush-shaped flowers native to Australia 🇦🇺 Australia · Flowering shrub Leucojum White-flowered bulbs of damp meadows and shady gardens 🇪🇸 Spain and 6 more · Wildflower Black-eyed Susan vineThunbergia alata A fast-growing climbing plant with bright flowers and a dark centre 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Garden flower French lavenderLavandula stoechas A Mediterranean lavender with purple bracts atop its flower spikes 🇪🇸 Spain and 2 more · Wildflower Sweet-amberHypericum androsaemum A small shrub with yellow flowers and berries that ripen from red to black 🇵🇹 Portugal and 7 more · Flowering shrub Protea neriifolia A South African shrub with cone-shaped flower heads and hairy-tipped bracts 🇿🇦 South Africa and 3 more · Wildflower African lilyAgapanthus praecox A long-lived perennial with blue, purple, or white umbels from South Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Garden flower Spring starflowerIpheion uniflorum A small blue spring bulb with star-shaped, honey-scented flowers 🇦🇷 Argentina and 5 more · Bulb flower Common red bottlebrushMelaleuca citrina A hardy Australian shrub with bright red brush-like flowers 🇦🇺 Australia · Flowering shrub Gippsland waratahTelopea oreades A tall Australian shrub with crimson flower heads in late spring 🇦🇺 Australia · Flowering tree Sydney golden wattleAcacia longifolia A fast-growing Australian shrub or tree with golden flower spikes and bead-like seed pods 🇦🇺 Australia and 3 more · Flowering shrub Place Royal Botanic Garden SydneyRoyal Botanic Gardens Sydney’s historic 30-hectare botanical garden on the edge of the harbour Sydney, 🇦🇺 Australia · Botanical garden Place Kings Park A vast park and botanic garden overlooking Perth, famous for wildflowers and memorials Perth, 🇦🇺 Australia · Botanical garden, September Place Hunter Valley Gardens A vast themed garden and event venue in Pokolbin, New South Wales Pokolbin, 🇦🇺 Australia · Botanical garden Place Araluen Botanic Park A 59-hectare botanical park in the hills south of Perth, Western Australia Perth, 🇦🇺 Australia · Botanical garden Place Blue Mountains Botanic Garden A cool-climate botanic garden high in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales Sydney, 🇦🇺 Australia · Botanical garden Guettarda speciosa A coastal shrub with fragrant white flowers found on tropical beaches 🇦🇺 Australia and 5 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 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 Beach naupakaScaevola taccada A salt-tolerant shrub with fan-shaped white flowers on tropical beaches 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Sweet-briarRosa rubiginosa A thorny rose shrub with apple-scented leaves and pink flowers 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 more · Wildflower 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 BlueminkAgeratum houstonianum A fluffy blue annual often grown in garden borders and balcony boxes 🇬🇹 Guatemala and 7 more · Wildflower Poppy Bright-petalled flowers grown for gardens, seeds, and remembrance 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 7 more · Wildflower Common GorseUlex europaeus A tough, spiny yellow-flowered shrub of Western Europe 🇳🇿 New Zealand and 6 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 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
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Photo credits on this page

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

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