Locally grown products are hot, also in Australia. “From very tall and structured banksias to the wide color range of waxflower and the soft delicate blooms of flannel flower, Australian native flowers provide a true seasonality and florists love this variety and variability in supply,” says Craig Scott of East Coast Wildflowers, one of Australia's leading wholesale florists that specializes in Australian native flowers and flowers. Owned and operated by Craig, he is a fourth-generation farmer and East Coast Wildflowers is based at Mangrove Mountain which is located about 90kms north of Sydney.
Craig Scott holding Helix Waxflowers
Own production and sourcing
Craig’s father Colin initially started growing traditional flower crops such as dahlia, aster, carnation, and chrysanthemum however in the mid-1980s he started to experiment with a range of Australian native varieties including eucalyptus, acacia, kangaroo paws, and banksias. Craig has since grown this farm to over 20 acres of Australian native crops adding crops such as paper daisy, Christmas Bush, flannel flower, and ptilotus. In addition to their own production, East Coast Wildflowers also sources from 15 Australian growers of both Australian native flowers and flowers of the Protea family (protea, Leucadendron, serruria, leucospermum).
East Coast wildflowers trading stand at Flemington Market Sydney Australia
Waxflower: an important native filler, sales increasing
Craig said his local florist and event clients love Australian native flowers and foliages as they are very seasonal as there are new crops starting and finishing all the time. Waxflower is a very important native filler flower stocked by East Coast Wildflowers and Craig works closely with Western Australian-based grower/wholesaler Wafex who supply the range of improved hybrid waxflower from breeder Helix Australia “Waxflower sales continue to grow each year with the large range of varieties and colors from Helix Australia and the extended 6-month flowering season.” Craig continued, “consistent quality, reliable production, and standard bunch sizes have also assisted sales growth of waxflower in recent years.”
For more information:
Helix Australia
www.helixaustralia.com.au
East Coast Wildflowers
www.eastcoastwildflowers.com.au