Australian native flower spotlight
I love incorporating Australian natives into our bouquets from our Moorooka florist home studio. They are hardy, beautiful and have so much character. My favourite is wattle (and flannel flower...and billy buttons) and Katie’s fave is candlestick banksia (and Kangaroo paw...and waratahs...and thryptomene).
Many people don’t realise that Australian native flowers are highly seasonal which makes them difficult to get all year round - and a shockingly large amount of our “native” flower supply gets imported from overseas!
With people caring more about buying local, and spending more time on home soil people generally have good intentions when choosing natives, without realising that for a good chunk of the year they are being imported from places as far away as South Africa or Israel. Israel actually exports more Australian Natives than we even grow here - how wild!
Here is a little calendar of the seasons of Australian native flowers to give you an idea of what you can expect from us, and when :)
ALL YEAR
Banksia - there are innumerable types of banksia, but there is usually at least one variety available year-round
"Banksias" by robynejay is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Everlasting daisy/strawflower (Xerochrysum) - spring, summer, autumn
"'Bright bikini' Strawflowers, everlasting daisies. Бессмертник гелихризум" by Tatters ✾ is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Rice flower (Ozothamnus diosmifolius)
"Sago flowers (Ozothamnus diosmifolius)" by Tatters ✾ is licensed under CC BY 2.0
SPRING & SUMMER
Waratah (Telopea) Ozothamnus diosmifolius
"waratah" by petrichor is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos) - the first start appearing in Spring, the yellow variety is usually finished by mid-February with some green and purple varieties to be found until the end of summer.
"Red kangaroo paw flowers - anigozanthos species" by MomentsForZen is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Flannel flower (Actinotus helianthi)
"DSCN1611 Flannel flower (Actinotus helianthi)" by JohnJennings995 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Billy buttons (Pycnosorus globosus) - looks almost the same dried as it does fresh so can be used year-round
"Billy buttons at Charlotte Pass, Kosciuszko National Park" by Australian Alps is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Scholtzia
"245 Scholtzia involucrata, Wonnerup, Western Australia" by JohnJennings995 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
SUMMER
Flowering gum (corymbia)
"Red Flowering Gum (Corymbia ficifolia)" by Tatters ✾ is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
NSW Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum)
"NSW Christmas Bush" by David Stephensen is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Swamp Foxtail Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
"Cola de zorro (Pennisetum alopecuroides)." by Andres Bertens is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
AUTUMN
Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos) - some kangaroo paw varieties enjoy a second flowering season in Autumn
WINTER & SPRING
Wax flower (Philotheca myoporoides)
"Wax Flower" by CGWF is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Thryptomene
Little drumsticks (Isopogon anemonifolius)
"Isopogon anemonifolius 031026-1259" by Tony Rodd is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
SPRING
Wattle (Acacia)
"DSC_3066 Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)" by JohnJennings995 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Emu bush (Eremophila)
"Eremophila flowers mosaic" by Tatters ✾ is licensed under CC BY 2.0
This is by no means an exhaustive list, there are plenty of other native Australian stems that work well as cut flowers - anything you wish we had covered? Get in touch with us at contact@barebouquets.com
With love,
Miriam