Waratah

~ Telopea speciosissima ~

PROTEACEAE

The Waratah holds cultural and spiritual significance for First Nations People, as well as having symbolism and providing a visual feast for so many of us inspired by its beauty. To add even more depth to this stunning plant, there is a very rare white form called Wirrimbirra White (illustrated here), first recorded at the water-catchment area at Kangaloon in New South Wales. These rarities start off as apple-green buds and open to feature a stunning bridal-cream bloom. The Waratah is a pyrogenic flowering species and creates an impressive display after bushfires, with its giant blood-red flowers against a black and charred backdrop.

WHERE TO LOOK

This New South Wales resident enjoys the temperate south-east of the state and will be found growing in patches of sandstone soils in and around Sydney, the Central Coast, the South Coast and the Blue Mountains.

FEATURES

This large shrub grows 3–4m tall with a single or double stem. Its iconic dome-shaped flower head or inflorescence grows to 7–15cm across and consists of 250 densely packed, bright-red flowers. Those red ‘petals’ that branch out around the flowerhead are known as bracts – not quite petal, not quite leaf. They are around 9cm long and support all of those tiny densely clustered flowers. All of this is beautifully offset by the deep-green, leathery spoon-shaped leaves with etched veins that grow 8–25cm in length. The long woody seed pods grow to 8–15cm. T. aspera looks very similar to the New South Wales Waratah but is restricted to the state’s Gibraltar Range, and is therefore aptly named the Gibraltar Range Waratah.

FLOWERING SEASON

Spring to early summer → This perennial shrub flowers between September and October, sometimes springing up as early as August and after bushfires.

TRADITIONAL USES

The nectar from the flowers has been used as a form of honey by the D’harawal People who sip the juice directly from its flowers.

PLANTING

The Waratah is an elusive beast; being prone to root rot, it’s generally avoided by a lot of gardeners. However, the fungal issue could be due to the type of soil being used. This plant wants very coarse sand and lots of it. Try a Proteaceae potting mix and some propagating gravel when planting to give it a sort of soil-free environment. Pairing this with an anti-fungal treatment will give the Waratah the best chance for survival in captivity.