A wide variety of Australian native plants are ideal for use as cut flowers or foliage and many retain their beauty and form for long periods when used in this way. However, there is still considerable misunderstanding among members of the public regarding 'true' native species. The use of plants such as Protea, Leucadendron and Leucospermum (all native to South Africa) in 'native' floral arrangements contributes to this confusion.

Tables 1 and 2 below illustrate the many true Australian native species, hybrids and cultivars that are useful as cut flowers and/or foliage. Table 3 lists several exotic species that are often mistakenly sold as Australian natives.

Please note that this page is a 'work-in-progress' and it will be updated as new information comes to hand.

Table 1: Native species that are commonly available
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Botanical name	Common Name	Season	Colours	Image Click thumbnail for larger image
Acacia baileyana	Cootamundra wattle or mimosa	W	Yellow, silver foliage
Acacia cultriformis	Knife-leaf wattle		Foliage
Alpinia caerulea	Native ginger			Image to come
Anigozanthos	Kangaroo paw, includes hybrids	Sp, Su	Red, Yellow, orange
Banksia baxteri	Bird's nest banksia	S, Au	Green & gold
Banksia burdetii		Sp, Su, Au	Orange
Banksia coccinea	Scarlet banksia	Sp, Su	Red
Banksia formosa (syn. Dryandra formosa)	Showy dryandra	Sp	Gold
Banksia heliantha (syn. Dryandra quercifolia)	Oak-leaved dryandra	Au, W	Gold
Banksia menziesii	Menzies' banksia	Au, W	Pinkish/lavender
Banksia plagiocarpa			Bluish in bud
Banksia prionotes	Orange banksia	A, W	Orange
Banksia speciosa	Showy banksia	Su, Au	Cream to yellow
Banksia undata (syn. Dryandra praemorsa)	Urchin dryandra	Sp	Yellow/Gold
Banksia victoriae	Woolly orange banksia	Su, Au	Orange
Boronia heterophylla	Red boronia	Sp	Deep pink
Boronia megastigma	Brown boronia	Sp	Brown or Yellow
Caustis blakei				Image to come
Caustis recurvata				Image to come
Caustis flexuosa				Image to come
Chamelaucium uncinatum	Wax flowers. Hybrids and cultivars	Sp	White, pink, purple
Doryanthes excelsa	Gymea lily + leaves	Sp + all	Red fl. Large green leaf
Doryanthes palmeri	Doryanthes leaves	All	Large green leaves
Eucalyptus caesia	Gungurru, "Silver Princess"	W, Sp	Pink, silver buds
Eucalyptus crucis	Southern Cross mallee	All	Silver foliage
Eucalyptus pulverulenta	Silver-leaved mountain gum	All	Blue/silver foliage
Eucalyptus tetragona		All	Large blue foliage, buds	Image to come
Grevillea cultivars			Various
Ozothamnus diosmifolius	Rice flower	Sp, Su	White, pink
Philotheca myoporoides	Bendigo wax flower		White
Pycnosorus globosa	Billy buttons	Sp, Su	Yellow	Image to come
Restio
Telopea speciocissima & cultivars	Waratah	Sp	Red, pink, white
Thryptomene calycina	Thryptomene "Coral Lace"	W	Pink
Thryptomene calycina	Thryptomene "Ivory Lace"	W	White
Thryptomene ericaea	Kangaroo Island thryptomene	W	White - shorter stems
Verticordia - various species	Feather flowers		White, pink, red, yellow
Xanthorrhea sp.	Yacca leaves	All	Green

Table 2: Native species of limited availability
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Botanical name	Common Name	Season	Colours	Image Click thumbnail for larger image
Acacia aneura	Mulga Wattle	All	Foliage	Image to come
Actinotus helianthi	Flannel flower		White
Adenanthos sericeus	Wooly bush	All	Foliage
Banksia robur	Swamp Banksia	W	Greenish-yellow
Beaufortia sparsa	Swamp bottlebrush	Sp	Orange/red
Blandfordia sp.	Christmas bells	Sp	Red/yellow
Bowenia serrulata	Byfield fern	W	Green leaves
Ceratopetalum gummiferum	NSW Christmas bush	Su	Red
Corymbia ficifolia	Red flowering gum	Su	Red
Crowea exalata		Su, Au	Pink form
Crowea exalata		Su, Au	White form
Eremophila nivea	Silky eremophila	Sp, Su	Mauve; silvery foliage
Eucalyptus albida	White-leaved Mallee		Silver foliage
Eucalyptus crenulata	Silver Gum		Foliage	Image to come
Eucalyptus erythrocorys	Red-capped gum	Au,W
Eucalyptus gamophylla	Blue-leaved Mallee		Bluish-grey foliage and buds
Eucalyptus kingsmillii	Kingsmill's Mallee		Buds
Eucalyptus kruseana	Book-leaf Mallee		Silver-blue foliage
Eucalyptus pachyphylla	Red-budded Mallee		Red buds
Eucalyptus perriniana	Spinning Gum		Silver-grey foliage
Eucalyptus pleurocarpa	Tallerack		Silver-grey foliage
Grevillea "Moonlight"			White
Grevillea "Superb"			Salmon pink to red
Hakea francisiana	Grass-leaved Hakea	W, Sp	Red
Isopogon cuneatus	Coneflower	W, Sp	Pink	Image to come
Kunzea ambigua		Sp	White
Leptospermum cultivars	Tea trees	Sp	Pink, red, white
Maireana sedifolia	Bluebush	All		Image to come
Ptilotus sp.	Mulla Mulla	W, Sp, Su	Pink
Rhodanthe chlorocephala	Paper daisy	W, Sp	Pink
Scholtzia		Sp
Schoenia filifolia	Paper daisy	Sp, Su	Yellow
Verticordia grandis	Feather flower	Sp, Su	Red
Verticordia plumosa		Sp, Su	Pink to mauve
Xerochrysum bracteatum	Cultivars and hybrids	Sp, Su, Au	Yellow, bronze, brown