NSW Christmas Bush

The first is New South Wales Christmas bush or Ceratopetalum gummiferum. This large shrub, when cultivated, often grows in a small tree approximately 5 metres tall. It enjoys the subtropics and can be found all along the East coast of New South Wales. It flowers in later November/December – just in time to gather some fronds in to make a Christmas bouquet. The Christmas bush actually has two flowers, the first the gorgeous red to attract bees and other pollinators and the second, a fluffy white – whichever one has blossomed at your place, they will look beautiful as part of Christmas table setting.

Credit: André Karwath

The second popular Christmas flower is the Poinsettia, or Euphorbia pulcherrima. These plants, originally from South America have been cultivated since the 1930’s with great success. The Poinsettia comes in many colours but most popular is the deep vivid red with contrasting dark green leaves. When fully mature, these plants offer a stunning centre piece for the table and are often sold as pot plants in supermarkets, florists and, of course, commercial nurseries.

Photo Credit: Muffe

The third flower is renowned world wide, the Lily or Lilium. For Christmas time you can’t go past a red Asiatic lilly. These plants have a beautiful rich colour, an open star shaped petal cluster and of course, that beautiful scent. Lily’s have been cultivated across the world and many species have been  happily adapted to the subtropical climate of upper New South Wales. The popularity of Lily’s ensures that these flowers can be found all year round. For the best choice on colour, check with your local nursery or florist.

Have a good holiday and a great Christmas day.

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