Waratah

The official floral emblem for the State of NSW.

Shrubs with 1 or a few erect, slender, stems to 3m high, arising from a woody underground lignotuber. Stems often do not branch. Adult leaves 8–28 cm long, 20–65 mm wide usually with a toothed margin. Flower heads form at the end of the stems, Each head is made up of 90–250 individual flowers and the whole head is surrounded by bright red bracts 5–9 cm long. Flowers at the base of the flower head open first. Nectar in the flowers attracts pygmy possums, birds and insects. Waratahs usually grow as an understory shrub in open forest on sandy soils in areas with moderately high rainfall.