Waratah
(Pic by Cas liber)
Waratah is the Aboriginal name for this spectacular crimson flower. They sit on upright stems of stout shrubs with alternate, leathery, whole or serrated leaves and the flowers are grouped in rounded heads. Australia has 4 species of this genus that are distributed between NSW, Vic and Tas. Waratahs flower prolifically between Sept-Nov but only for a short time and when the pods split, large winged seeds are released. Waratahs prefer sandy soils and fairly high rainfalls and are not destroyed by bushfires as their rootstock regenerates quickly. They are found in a number of national parks around Sydney and there have been several cultivated hybrids. The Waratah is the floral emblem of NSW and has also been adopted by many groups and authorities as their insignia together with numerous artisans that have widely used the Waratah motif in their diverse works of culture.

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