Nursery & cutflowers

Western Australia has a significant nursery industry and also grows exotic and Australian native flowers for local and export markets. Nurseries exist in most areas from Broome to Esperance.

Important sectors include land rehabilitation after mining and on farms, state and local government, seedlings for commercial growers and home gardens. There is growing emphasis on ‘waterwise’ plants using local provenance species.

Sales of exotic cutflowers are primarily local whereas waxflowers, South African proteas and bush-picked flowers and foliage are mostly exported.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has developed new hybridised waxflower varieties and produced reports on best propagation, field and postharvest management practices of these crops.

Articles

  • Mites of the Tetranychidae family (commonly known as spider mites) include some important pests of economic concern to agriculture and forestry.

  • Pesticides are often used to control western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) in horticultural crops. However, western flower thrips is regarded to be a 'pesticide-induced proble

  • Root-knot nematodes are plant-parasitic round worms with a broad host range which includes many important horticultural crops, pastures and some weed species.