General Description:

A number of Telopea hybrids have been developed in recent years and further development can be expected. These hybrids usually use T.speciosissima as one parent and exhibit variations in the colour of the flowers and/or the bracts.

The most common hybrid seen in nurseries is Telopea ‘Shady Lady – Red’.  This is a cross between T.speciosissima and T.oreades which apparently arose by chance in a Victorian garden. It is a large, bushy shrub with blood red flowers and can reach about 3 metres high. While lacking the density of flowers in the inflorescence that T.speciosissima exhibits, this is still an excellent plant which seems easier to maintain in cultivation than T.speciosissima. There are two other “Shady Lady’ hybrids – ‘Yellow’ (T. speciosissima x T. truncata lutea) and ‘White’ (T. speciosissima x T. oreades).

Another reasonably common hybrid is ‘Braidwood Brilliant’, a T.speciosissima x T.mongaensis cross.

Further details of Telopea hybrids is available on the website of the former Waratah and Flannel Flower Study Group.