Telopea speciosissima Seeds

Telopea speciosissima Seeds

New South Wales Waratah

Telopea speciosissima, commonly known as the New South Wales Waratah or simply Waratah, is a large shrub in the Proteaceae family with striking large crimson flowerheads. It is endemic to New South Wales in Australia and is the floral emblem of that state.

The New South Wales Waratah is a large erect shrub up to 3 or 4 metres in height with one or more stems. It has dark-green leaves which are alternate, usually-coarsely toothed and range from 13 to 25 cm in length. The inflorescences, which appear in spring, are large and crimson coloured. They consist of a 7-10 cm diameter domed flower head ringed by bracts which are 5 to 7 cm long. These are followed by large pods which eventually turn brown and split open revealing winged seeds inside.