As Australia prepares for holiday season, a riot of flora produces a dramatic display of festivity. This iconic installation’s unexpected beauty fits right in with the exuberant holiday vibe. The beauty of Christmas beetles and Christmas spiders illustrate the commonality of life. Together with its spectacular, iconic Christmas trees, they contribute to the unique magic that makes Christmas in Australia such an experience.
This is the time that Christmas beetles come out, beginning their yearly mating season. These beautiful little bugs are often less than the size of a fingernail. As grubs, they’ve stripped many roots of native species and spent years hidden underground. Warmer weather suddenly calls them forth, shattering the quiet with a wild celebration of one of nature’s most beautiful spectacles.
Darryl Hardie, a local ecology expert, noted that there is something “special” about those beetles.
“They’re colourful but they’re probably only the size of your fingernail on your pointer finger,” – Darryl Hardie.
The Holiday Bloom
The WA Christmas tree is a shining example this holiday season. Its colorful pumpkin orange blossoms make a striking visual impact when silhouetted against the twilight sky. This tree is in full bloom during the Noongar season of Birak, which falls beautifully during this festive season. Its massive trunk supports a huge flower at the top that is painted in colorful patterns, creating a dazzling display.
The NSW Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum) is another species that turns heads with a berry-heavy, showcase-y display at this time of year. Especially impressive in December, it is part of the astounding Australian Christmas flora landscape.
“You can tell they’re Angophora because they have these amazing twisted branches… they’re a little creepy sometimes but also just stunning,” – Chantelle Doyle.
Tasmania’s Christmas bells will add to the colorful seasonal landscape with their unique long, skinny, bell-like flower. We learned that each plant will show off eight flowers at once, providing a stunning visual display that leaves everyone under its spell forever after.
In addition to the trees and beetles, Christmas spiders—also known as six-pointed spiders—become increasingly visible during warmer months in southern Western Australia. These aliens are dressed in colors straight out of your grandma’s Christmas decorations, looking like glass balls hanging off the lawn.
The Colourful Christmas Spiders
“The Christmas bells plant is quite famous at this time of year because they have these yellow and red bell-shaped flowers that are really characteristic in heathland,” noted Chantelle Doyle.
These spiders are an important part of the ecosystem, as they sit and wait for insects in the vegetation.
As the holiday season gets underway, experts encourage Australians to take a moment to appreciate the natural beauty surrounding them.
“They sit in the middle waiting for insects,” – Darryl Hardie.
Embracing Nature This Season
“I know this time of year is hectic for a lot of us. It’s nice to take a little breath and go for a bushwalk or even walk down to your local park and see what’s flowering,” said Chantelle Doyle.
The smooth-barked apple gumtree is stunning with its distinctive shedding bark and pinkish coloration. It has become a favorite for many during this extraordinary time. Shedding its old bark for new, its beauty changes with the seasons.
The smooth-barked apple gumtree, known for its distinctive peeling bark and salmon-colored hue, also emerges as a favorite during this time. Its beauty evolves throughout the year as it sheds old bark for new.
“I like it for its amazing smooth salmon-coloured bark but as the year progresses the bark gets kind of grey… it’s getting rid of it all and putting a new layer on,” – Chantelle Doyle.
