Waratah is any of a group of tall shrubs with brilliant flowers, leathery leaves, and leathery seed pods with winged seeds. There are four species (kinds) of waratahs. They grow only in Australia . The Australian state of New South Wales selected the New South Wales waratah as its floral emblem.
The waratah may grow to 13 feet (4 meters) tall. It produces bright crimson flowers from September to November each year. Some plants produce white, pink, or yellow flowers. The flowers are grouped in rounded heads about 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 centimeters) in diameter. The “flower” is in fact a cluster of flowers that contains, depending on the species, as few as 10 to as many as 240 individual flowers. Crimson bracts (modified leaves) surround the base of the waratah flower. The plant’s dark green, leathery leaves have boldly toothed edges. The leaves are about 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) long.
The name waratah comes from the Aboriginal term for the plant. It was adopted by the early settlers of Port Jackson, now known as Sydney Harbour .
