Sydney Spring Native Wildflowers in The Royal National Park

We are well into Spring and the Royal National Park’s native plants are producing some splendid flowers.

A few of the most spectacular wildflowers seen whilst walking on coastal tracks include the Drumstick, Gymea Lily and Waratah.

Two varieties of Drumstick are the Broad-leaf Drumstick and the Narrow-leaf Drumstick.

Bright yellow flowers are common to both species with the Broad-leafed Drumstick having leaves that are flat and fork-like whilst the leaves of the Narrow-leafed Drumstick are needle-like in appearance.

The first photo below of a Narrow-leafed Drumstick shows the delightful purple tinges that may appear prior to flowering on the spherical fruiting body.

If you look closely at the photo there is a spiraling pattern of thorn shaped purple hairs.

Over time the fruiting body which is at the end of the small branches will turn grey in colour and develop a barrel or cone shape resulting in the plant being named a drumstick.

Gymea Lilies are very different to other plants in the Royal National Park and can be seen in many places as you drive through the park.

These plants are native to the Sydney region, sending up long narrow green shoots that reach several or more metres and are topped with a striking red flower.

A third wildflower we came across whilst walking on the Curra Moors Track to Eagle Rock, is the Waratah.

The Waratah is the floral emblem of New South Wales, having a vivid red-pink flower which grows in the state’s bush in clumps of tall stems.

In the second last photo the small attractive red/pink and white bell shaped flowers of the Fushia Heath are in the foreground.

The white flowers of the Heath Myrtle can be seen in the background.