Wild Flowers

Products: Waxflower,  Kangaroo Paw, Thryptomene, Stirlingia, Protea, Banksia, Leucadendron, Koala Fern Foliage, Scholtzia, Eucalyptus foliage, Boronia., Leucospermum, Riceflower, Eriostemon, Waratah, Feather Flower, Dryandra, Christmas Bells, Smokebush, Cotton Bush, Ixodia, Yellow Bells, Myrtle, Crowea, Grevillea., Emu Bush, Tea Tree, Persoonia, Adenanthos, Bottlebrush, Flannel flower

Synopsis – Australian Industry

The beauty and novelty of many of Australia’s native plants and foliage make them a valued component of floral arrangements in many parts of the world. They add a dimension to arrangements of traditional flowers, with unique forms, colours and textures and they are also very popular as “native” bouquets both overseas and here on the domestic market. Often wildflowers have a longer vase life than traditional flowers, and they generally do not require heating, large quantities of water or fertiliser, making them a sustainable agricultural practice.

The Australian wildflower and native plant industry was initially based on harvesting from the wild but most production is now from propagation on commercial farms.  Each of the states and territories of Australia have in place arrangements to ensure the wild harvesting of Australian native flora is undertaken in sustainable ways.  The arrangements include licensing systems; quotas for specific areas and species; and monitoring of harvested and traded quantities. Some plants from the Proteaceae family that are native to Southern Africa, such as proteas, are widely grown in Australia and are usually included in the wildflowers category.

Background

There are few statistics on the volume and value of production of flowers and foliage in Australia.  The value in constant (2008) dollar terms of Australia’s exports of cut flowers, foliage and live plants (here called ‘flower’ exports) grew strongly to a peak of $46 million in 2001-02, but have since declined steadily to $30 million in 2006-07.  A factor causing this decline has been an extended drought in Australia.

A wide range of Australian native plants are now being grown commercially in countries other than Australia, particularly Israel, Colombia, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.  The most popular plants grown in these countries are waxflower, kangaroo paw, banksia and eucalypt (for foliage).

The most important export markets for Australian wildflowers, foliage and native plants are Japan (36 per cent of the total value of exports in the three years to 2006-07), the Netherlands (30 per cent), the United States (16 per cent), Germany (6 per cent) and Canada (4 per cent).  Western Australia accounted for 34 per cent of the total value of exports in this period, Queensland 28 per cent, Victoria 24 per cent, and New South Wales 13 per cent.

Links

• Flower Auction Japan (www.faj.co.jp/english/news/update/update.htm), weekly flower prices and volumes (including Australia natives) in the Ohta Market (located in the southern part of Tokyo).
• Melbourne Market Authority (www.melbournemarkets.com.au), weekly flower prices.
• WildFlowers Australia ((http://www.wildflowersaustralia.com.au), a company formed by a leading group from the Wildflower Industry, with representation from all States of Australia. WildFlowers Australia has been formed to provide a Peak Industry Body endorsed by and able to claim true representation of wildflower growers across Australia.