Zoo Flora: Australian
Australian Fan Palm
Licuala ramsayi
These spectacular palms are native to far north Queensland. They prefer a wet and humid climate, however, they are one of the most cold-tolerant palms in the Licuala family. Keep your eyes to the sky because these palms can grow to over 20 metres high!
Distribution: Far North Queensland
Height: 20 metres
Width: 5 metres
Season: Summer
Location at Australia Zoo: Admissions
Bottle Tree
Brachychiton rupestris
Aptly named the bottle tree, these plants have an unmistakable bulbous trunk and creamy-yellow, bell-shaped flowers. This species is native to western parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales. It is a hardy tree known to survive harsh drought conditions!
Distribution: Western Queensland and Northern New South Wales
Height: Up to 7 metres
Width: Up to 4 metres
Season: All year round
Location at Australia Zoo: African Savannah and Meerkats
Cat’s Whiskers
Orthosiphon aristatus
This flowering herb is native to Australia and south-east Asia. Flower colours can range from pink to white and always have ‘whiskers’ extending outwards up to twice as long as the flower itself! This sun-loving plant will flower throughout autumn and summer months.
Distribution: Australia and South-east Asia
Height: 1.5 metres
Width: Up to 90 centimetres
Season: Summer and Autumn
Location at Australia Zoo: South-east Asia and The Laughing Frog Waterpark
Dragon Tree
Dracaena draco
This stunning succulent is widespread throughout Australia, America, Asia and Africa. It thrives in a tropical climate and is extremely slow growing. A mature dragon tree will develop a large, umbrella-like appearance. This tree is often referred to as a ‘dragon blood tree’ due to the red, blood-like sap that is secreted when it’s cut! The dragon tree is native to Canary Islands, where is it now considered endangered.
Distribution: Australia, Asia, America and Africa
Height: Up to 10 metres
Width: Up to 9 metres
Season: All year round
Location at Australia Zoo: Bindi’s Island
Dwarf Bottlebrush
Melaleuca citrinus “Little John”
This beautiful bottlebrush is native to eastern Queensland and New South Wales. It is a durable shrub that is moderately drought and frost tolerant. During the summer and spring months, an abundance of gorgeous, red flowers appear, attracting many native, nectar-feeding birds and insects!
Distribution: Eastern Queensland and New South Wales
Height: 1.2 metres
Width: 1.5 metres
Season: Spring and Summer
Location at Australia Zoo: Koala Walk Through
Eumundi Quandong
Elaeocarpus eumundi
This slow growing tree is native to eastern Queensland and New South Wales. Capable of reaching great heights, this tree has smooth, glossy leaves and cream, scented flowers. During spring and summer months a small blue fruit will grow.
Distribution: Eastern Australia
Height: Up to 25 metres
Width: 3 metres
Season: Spring and Summer
Location at Australia Zoo: Tiger Temple
Foxtail Palm
Wodyetia bifurcata
This stunning palm is aptly named a foxtail palm due to the feathery, foxtail-shaped fronds it produces! These palms thrive in the warm, humid environment of northern Queensland. They are fast growing and will reach great heights of up to 10 metres!
Distribution: North Queensland
Height: Up to 10 metres
Width: 3 metres
Season: Summer
Location at Australia Zoo: Wetlands
Illawarra Flame Tree
Brachychiton acerifolius
The beautiful, bright red, bell-shaped flowers of the Illawarra flame tree are a sight to see throughout eastern Australia. This tree is deciduous, meaning it sheds its leaves after the dry season! They are capable of reaching great heights of over 20 metres!
Distribution: Eastern Queensland and New South Wales
Height: Over 20 metres
Width: Up to 10 metres
Season: Spring
Location at Australia Zoo: African Savannah
Kauri Pine
Agathis robusta
The kauri pine is a softwood timber species found throughout Queensland. They thrive all year round and reach heights of up to 50 metres! This very attractive tree is often harvested for its timber.
Distribution: Queensland
Height: Up to 50 metres
Width: 7 metres
Season: All year round
Location at Australia Zoo: Bindi’s Treehouse
Kentia Palm
Howea forsteriana
This impressive palm is identified by its slender trunk and crown of drooping fonds, capable of reaching lengths of three metres long! It is a slow-growing palm that thrives in the tropical environment of Australia and Lord Howe Island. Unfortunately, the kentia palm is considered a vulnerable species.
Distribution: Queensland and Lord Howe Island
Height: Up to 50 metres
Width: 7 metres
Season: All year round
Location at Australia Zoo: South-east Asia
Native Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa ‘blue gem’
This stunning shrub is native to the coast of New South Wales and southern regions of the USA. Its foliage is bushy and dark green with small, bluish-purple flowers. Rosemary is a tough and durable plant, suited to dry conditions with full sun exposure!
Distribution: New South Wales and Southern United States of America
Height: 2 metres
Width: 5 metres
Season: Spring
Location at Australia Zoo: Tiger Temple and South-east Asia
Staghorn Fern
Platycerium
The stunning staghorn is native to the southern hemisphere. They typically grow on other trees and rocks in order to catch rain water, leaves and debris from above. These ferns are best suited to lightly-shaded environments and thrive all year round!
Distribution: Australia, Africa, South America and Southern Asia
Height: 1 metre
Width: up to 1 metre
Season: All year round
Location at Australia Zoo: Throughout Australia Zoo
Swamp Banksia
Banksia robur
This Australian native naturally inhabits wet areas. It is commonly spotted throughout Queensland and New South Wales and favours open, sunny positions. This shrub is identified by the large, yellowish-golden flower heads that attract many nectar-eating birds and insects!
Distribution: Queensland and New South Wales
Height: 2.5 metres
Width: 0.5-2 metres
Season: Winter and early Spring
Location at Australia Zoo: Koala Walk Through
Wheel of Fire
Stenocarpus sinuatus
This is one of Australia’s most spectacular rainforest trees! It is identified by their bright, red flowers, especially during the summer months. The wheel of fire is a highly adaptable tree, capable of surviving in a variety of environments!
Distribution: Queensland and New South Wales
Height: Up to 30 metres
Width: 3 metres
Season: Summer and Autumn
Location at Australia Zoo: Asian Small-clawed Otter area