Waratah Plants

Waratah flowers and plants are one of Australia's most spectacular flowering plants with the brilliant red flowering Telopea speciosissima being the floral emblem of New South Wales. Seen in all its glory in spring the blooms make a great display in the garden as well as fantastic cut flowers.

Waratah plants are available for sale from most good nurseries and specialist Australian plant nurseries, usually in late winter to spring when they are in flower. Remember a well drained soil and a sunny position are the essential elements to successfully growing these beautiful flowering plants.

Growing Waratah Plants

These plants can be successfully grown in pots or containers, or in the garden in a well drained soil. Full sun to part shade these frost tolerant plants can be cut back or pruned after flowering to maintain shape and promote more flowers for the following season. The White Waratah (Telopea speciosissima x oreades) and a yellow flowering cultivar (Telopea speciosissima x truncata x oreades)are also available. T. speciosissima 'Wirrimbirra White' was one of the first named white flowering cultivars.

T. truncata is the Tasmanian Waratah a smaller growing species and cultivars using it are smaller growing than those of other species such as T. speciosissima.

T. oreades is the Gippsland or Victorian Waratah while T. mongaensis from NSW is known as the Braidwood Waratah.