Waratah

About

The waratah has been the official floral emblem of New South Wales since 1962. It is a striking understorey shrub of the Sydney sandstone bushland, bearing a large dome-shaped crimson flowerhead made up of up to 250 individual flowers.

How to spot it

Look for a shrub 3-4m tall with dark green, coarsely toothed leaves 13-25cm long, topped in spring by a bright crimson flowerhead 7-10cm across growing in dappled eucalypt shade on sandy soils.

Found in

• Blue Mountains NP
• Royal NP
• Ku-ring-gai Chase NP