List of Desert Australian Flora Plants

The island continent of Australia separated from other land masses many millions of years ago, which allowed its plants and animals to evolve on their own. There are approximately 20,000 to 25,000 different species of native plants growing in Australia. Over time, the flora took on different characteristics according to the particular environmental conditions where they grew. Most of the inner parts of Australia are arid desert lands that receive very little water and experience extreme heat, which molded the particular characteristics of the plants.

The acacia tree, or wattle as it is called in Australia, consists of more than 600 species that come in all different sizes and colors. The wattle produces its distinctive flowers in the winter or in the spring. The golden wattle (Arcacias pycnantha) lives in hot and dry climates. The native aborigines used the wood for weapons and tools.

The cabbage palm (Livistona mariae) lives in the central part of Australia, especially near Alice Springs. This tree is tall with a thin trunk and branches that are relatively short. The aborigines ate the leaves, and when the Europeans settled in the area, they wove the leaves into hats.

There are hundreds of different species of eucalyptus trees, but the ones that live in desert climates are the coolabah (Eucalyptus microtheca) and the ghost gum (Eucalyptus papuana). The coolabah appear to have a twisted trunk while the ghost gum has a thick trunk with very white bark and clumps of dark green leaves.

The desert oak (Allocasuarina decaisneana) lives in Central Australia. Its trunk is thin, and it has leaves that are feathery soft. As the desert oak ages, it becomes fuller, with copious leaves, differing from the spindly young trees.

This grass loves the clay soil found in the northern section of Australia. It can thrive in the hot and dry desert climate because it has a significant system of roots that spread out and down, allowing it to seek out moisture deep into the ground.

There are over 30 species of saltbush found in the Australian desert. This plant has adapted to the saline soil conditions of the desert by storing salt in its leaves. It prefers full direct sun but can survive in limited shade and does not require much water once it is established.

Sturt's desert pea (Clianthus formosus) can be found in the inland desert and blooms only after there has been a large rainstorm. The flowers are red and come out of an object that looks like a black pea at the base of the petals.