Native West Australian Plants

Kangaroo Paws

• Mangles' Kangaroo Paw is the floral emblem of Western Australia. It grows as a low shrub with a tall flower stem and unique and striking red and green flowers. Other varieties of kangaroo paws have green with an orange base, bright yellow with a red base, metallic blue with a red base and there is also an all-white flower.

Banksia

• Named after botanist Sir Joseph Banks, most of the 76 species of banksias are native to Western Australia. They range from low shrubs to 30-foot-high trees and have brightly colored red, yellow and orange spikes for flowers. The fruits form a cone shape.

Geraldton Wax

• The 30 species of Geraldton Wax of Chemelaucium uncinatum are only found in Western Australia. They are shrubs with tea-tree-like white, purple and pink flowers and aromatic leaves.

Grevilleas

• Grevilleas occur in the Pacific northwest region of Australia. They are extremely drought hardy and do not need a lot of care, but many species cannot take frost. Grevilleas are large shrubs with red spiky flowers and are part of the proteaceae family. They flower best if grown in full sun.

Boab

• Boab trees are akin to the baobab trees of Africa, and grow only in the arid Kimberley region of Western Australia. They have extremely thick trunks and spindly branches with small leaves, which make them look almost comical. The fruits are edible and the thick trunks may become hollow and provide shelter. Boabs can grow for more than 1,500 years and are the oldest living things in Australia.