Common name: Orange Immortelle

Family: ASTERACEAE

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Origin of Scientific Name

Waitzia – after Karl Friedrich Waitz (1774–1848), a botanist and privy councillor in the duchy of Saxe-Altenburg in Germany.

acuminata – (Latin) tapering to a point, referring to the outer bracts.

Description

Waitzia acuminata is a bushy annual, up to 30 cm high and 30 cm wide, that produces a mass display of everlasting paper daisy flowers between August and December. The flowers are up to 2 cm long and can be ovoid to bell-shaped, but only fully open on hot sunny days.

Two varieties of the Orange Immortelle have been recognised with the most common variety, Waitzia acuminata var. acuminata, producing vivid yellow and orange flowers, giving it its common name. The second variety, Waitzia acuminata var. albicans, differs only in the colour of the outer bracts of the flower which are pink and eventually fade to white as the head opens. Both varieties make a stunning mass display.

This species naturally occurs throughout the southern half of Western Australia, favouring the semi-arid areas of the Southwest and desert areas to the east. It is also found in all other mainland states south of the Tropic of Capricorn usually in mallee and mulga woodlands on sandy red soils.

Horticultural tips

• Easy to grow from seed planted in autumn in an open sunny position.
• Tip prune when young to encourage a bushy habit and increase flower production.
• Performs well as a container plant.
• Long lasting as a cut flower or can be cut and hung upside down to dry for keeping for a year or more.

For more horticultural tips view our Plant Notes section.

View in Kings Park

Visit Kings Park and Botanic Garden to see the Waitzia acuminata in the Botanic Garden entry beds during spring (refer to map).

Want more information?

Refer to the profile for this plant on the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions' FloraBase online herbarium.