''Leucopogon verticillatus'', or tassel flower, is the tallest epacrid in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. Its striking form and similarity to bamboo made it the first Western Australia export to Japan, where it is used in flower arrangement. It was one of the many species authored by Scottish botanist Robert Brown, appearing in his 1810 work ''

Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen ''Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen'' (Prodromus of the Flora of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land) is a flora of Australia written by botanist Robert Brown and published in 1810. Often referred to as ''Prodromus Flora Novae ...

''. The leaves form whorls around the stalk separated by gaps of 3–6 cm. The leaves are a light green to yellow-orange in colour and have clear veins. The small flowers form tassels of pink or red. It grows in heavy soils in

karri ''Eucalyptus diversicolor'', commonly known as karri, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is Endemism, endemic to the Southwest Australia, south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall tree with smooth light grey to cre ...

jarrah ''Eucalyptus marginata'', commonly known as jarrah, djarraly in Noongar language and historically as Swan River mahogany, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tree with roug ...

, tingle and similar forests in the south-west botanical province. The plant is an understorey plant and likes partial shade, although it can tolerate full sun if sufficient water is available.

Cultivation

Tassel flower is difficult to keep in cultivation. It strikes only very slowly and seed has not been successful. It may be necessary to use soils high in laterite or to provide appropriate leaf-litter to maintain a mycorrhizal fungus.https://web.archive.org/web/20051016084502/http://www.ffp.csiro.au/research/mycorrhiza/intro.html

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6534239 verticillatus Ericales of Australia Eudicots of Western Australia Garden plants