On the long weekend walk I was talking to some of the other walkers about the spectacular site at Kanangra Walls during March last year (2010) of a multitude of pink flannel flowers. The pink flannel flower (Actinotus forsythii) it seems only flowers after two events – fire and then a lot of rain.
Before March 2010 there had been a bushfire on part of the Kanangra Plateau (I think it was due to a hazard reduction burn). After that was a wet period and the result was quite amazing. Under the burnt bankias and isopogons was a profusion of these beautiful flowers. It seems a mass blooming like this is a rare event.
I wonder if they had been recorded at Kanangra Walls – on the Plateau before? Perhaps this was the first time the Plateau had been burnt for a long while? And how long had the seeds been dormant and still viable? Interesting questions! Perhaps seeds are also at the nearby Ti-Willa Plateau?
Two other species of flannel flowers are quite common. Actinotus helianthi (Flannel Flower) and Actinotus minor (Lesser Flannel Flower).
Actinotus helianthi
Actinotus minor (near Mt Hay)
Just the most exquisite thing. I have been looking closely at Blue Mountains flora for three decades now, but have never seen this species in the wild. Check the book “Seldom Seen” by Alan Fairley for other places where this species has been recorded.
Pink flannel flowers are now out in flower on Narrow Neck at Katoomba – in a small burnt out area near the Climbers Carpark (on the knoll just above the barrier – that goes down to the old Waterboard Ladders)
Have you seen any lately
No.
They are flowering now at Narrowneck, just over one year since the bushfires.
Yes – see my recent posts
Dear me, not in Seldom Seen (that’s how seldom seen it is). At any rate Benson’s Ecology (“Cunninghamia”) says “Rare, Newnes Plateau northern limit – localised and poorly known”. Keep an eye out also for Actinotus gibbonsii (flowers are pink buttons) recorded on the Newnes Plateau in 1992.
Hi Dave, nice photos and great to document such a rare occurrence.
Hi,
Thank you for sharing these amazing pictures of the flowers!
Please email me when you see the Pink Flannel Flower out again, or ring me on 0411 462 511. I live on the Central Coast NSW and will only take a bit over a couple of hours to get there.
It could be worth looking in areas that were burnt out in bush fires last season – e.g. Cahills Lookout area at Katoomba.
Has anyone seen pink flannels recently?
Looking to shoot these beautiful flowers and have never seen them
I have not heard of any been seen lately – they only appear after good rain a year or so after a bushfire – and then only when the seeds are present. It seems the seeds can remain dormant for many years (100 years or more?). But I do know some people from the Gymea Wildflower Group managed to cultivate some – so you may want to check out their nursery.
Hi there. Just thought I’d ask the same question again seeing the last reply-comment was a few months ago. Any Pink Flannel Flower seen by anyone?
I have not heard of any being seen lately. Note that you need a bushfire and then rain, a year of so later.
Thanks very much David.
And for anyone interested, the Menai Wildflower group are having their quarterly meeting presentation on cultivation attempts of Pink Flannel Flower. 25 Feb I think. Check the website or facebook.
I will be leading a workshop on growing white and pink flannels tonight at the Sutherland APS at the Gymea Community Centre
What are the growing conditions needed to.successfully grow the white and pink flannel flower from seed?
Thanks Who has seed or plants sourced from the Blue mountains?
The photos show that the plant is glorious and should be in gardens everywhere instead of exotics from Africa or anywhere that is not Australia .It is time that native plants were used instead of exotics particularly in places near bush. Having native plant gardens will help to safeguard our native plant biodiversity and provide habitat and food supply for out native wildlife, birds and insects.
I am no expert on growing native plants. For pink flannel flowers from seed – I would contact Menai Wildflower Group, or visit their nursery. One member has managed to propagate their seeds – I think using smokey water.
Hello David,
My name is Brian Roach and I’m a long-time member of APS. I got a couple of plants of A.forsythii from Lloyd Hedges a year or so ago. More to the point, I’m writing an article on Flannel Flowers (A.helianthi) for Our Gardens, the Garden Clubs of Aust quarterly magazine now edited by Judy Horton and I want to include reference to forthysii. I’d be grateful if I could use one or two of your photographs in the article. Let’s know
Cheers,
Brian.
Yes – thats fine for you to use my photos. Is the resolution OK in my online photos?
Me again David, needless to say you would be acknowledged as the photographer.
Brian.
Is there any way to have this plant?
I bought seeds from Australia, but the never work.
I live in California.
I think it would be unlikely to grow in USA
Menai Wildflower Group is releasing Actinotus forythii’s at the Grevillea Park on Saturday 7 September. Numbers are limited
I purchased a small bush of the pink flannel flower from a market stall in November, I believe it was from representatives of the Menai wildflower group. I had no real hope of it flowering ( since I am not good with keeping plants alive!) but, I kept it in a pot, in a semi shaded spot, on our bush block at the top of Mt Kembla – it showed buds around late December, then I didn’t get up there for about 10 days – we had a week of extremely hot weather, then a week of heavy rain, and hot days. it was during the bushfires, but we were never in danger, just a lot of smoke. low and behold, I was up there today and it is absolutely flourishing. sweet little flowers, not very dark pink though. Absolutely chuffed, it’s a beautiful little flower.
Thats nice. Yes – some of the Menai Wildflower people managed to propagate the seeds (using smoke I think). They are having a special presentation at one of their meetings on Pink Flannel Flower Propogation (12 Feb, 7pm, Rural Fire Station, Menai)
Hi! I was wondering if there have been any recent sightings of this beautiful and rare native plant? It seems that conditions should be good – there’s been bushfires and rain. I have been looking out for it on my bushwalks but no luck yet.
I believe leaves from developing plants have been spotted in Blue Mts National Park near Bell. Looking at my past photos of them – they seem to flower in the February – March period. I would expect them on places like Kanangra Plateau (currently closed), on Narrow Neck at Katoomba, and the Newnes Plateau.
There is an abundance of pink flannel flowers close to the Golden Stairs in the burned out area. Heaps of buds waiting to pop in flower! Many more on the west facing side of the parking lot at the ‘lost city’ in the Newnes Plateau!
Thanks for that update. I have seen a few on Narrow Neck earlier (mid December) and looked for them on Kings Tableland recently – with no luck.
Yes they are exquisite. Petite fluffy petals, stunning pink dotted centre. Clumps of pink filtered through the blackened ground. Healthy strong small clusters. Happy to send my photos to anyone.
I spotted some up in the blue mountains today between butter box and mount hay. I only knew of them because of a lovely man who stopped talk to me and my partner about the flowers in the area and why he was photographing the buds. I then 15 minutes later spotted a bloomed one and yelled to him across the Ridge. It made my day and his and if we hadn’t talked to him 15 minutes earlier, we would never have known what a gem I found
Were you walking along the butterbox walking track or Mount hay walking track? And were did you park your car? I tried driving there although the gate was closed well before the Mount Hay and Butterbox carpark. I didn’t spot the pink flannel flower, only the Flannel and Small flannel flower, as well as gorgeous fringed violet and angelswords.
Yes – the Mt Hay Road is closed for maintenance at present. I think it opens in a few days. Easier to go to Narrow Neck on the south side of Katoomba. There are a few out near the climbers carpark – about 1 km from Cliff Drive – in the burnt out area. There are lots of buds.
Thank you so much!! 😀
Has anybody else seen these recently? I am hoping to make a trip down to the Blue Mountains on the weekend to look for them but will not have heaps of time t0 search as much as I would like. I hear some have been seen flowering recently!
See my reply above.
Thanks to Jeroen’s post, I found great drifts of them in the burnt out area exactly opposite the (closed) Golden Stairs walking track. All in flower! It was such a wonderful sight! There are more a little closer to the Narrow Neck car park, on both sides of the road. Such a treat in the cold wind that came with this morning. Thank you!
Yes we went there today and saw them all. So many scattered about the burnt areas. So pretty and delicate!
We went to the little car park just past Narrow Neck early this morning in the clearing mist. Took a few steps away from the road and there they were – beautiful dense drifts in every direction all the way to the cliff edge. So many more than a month ago. The rangers have put up signs asking people to take care where they step. Just magic!