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

  • Myrtle rust is a serious disease that infects and kills many plants belonging to the Myrtaceae family including eucalypts, bottlebrushes, paperbarks and peppermint trees.

  • The Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) provides advisory and identification services on animal and plant pests, weeds and diseases that impact Western Australia's agriculture and food ind

  • Blueberry rust is a fungal disease that affects blueberries and some relatives in the Ericaceae plant family. The disease was detected in Western Australia in April 2022.

  • Potato virus Y tuber necrosis strain (PVYNTN) causes a serious disease of potatoes called potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease which results in dark unsightly rings on tubers.

  • Dry rot (Eremothecium coryli) is an exotic pest to Western Australia.

  • Dry rot (Eremothecium coryli) is a serious pest of citrus that can affect fruit palatability and citrus rootstock seed production. This pest is not known to occur in Western Australia.

  • Ampelovirus Little cherry virus 2 (LChV-2) is one cause of little cherry disease (LCD) and is an exotic pest to Western Australia.

  • Waxflower is susceptible to a range of foliar diseases. The main problems which occur in commercial plantations and their control are outlined here.

  • Little cherry disease [Ampelovirus Little cherry virus 2 (LChV-2)] is a serious pest of cherries that can affect fruit development and quality.

  • Phytophthora root rot is the most common soil-borne disease causing plant death in native cutflower production.