In short: banksia, billy buttons, emu feather, preserved misty and lotus pods are five of the easiest Australian natives to buy dried and style at home. They last for months to years, need no water, and bring an earthy, bush-inspired look to any room. Shop our dried and preserved flowers and native flowers, or read on for what each one adds to an arrangement.
Dried natives suit people who love Australian flora but don’t want to replace a vase every week. They make thoughtful gifts for housewarmings, birthdays and new homes, and they’re one of the simplest ways to add texture to a shelf, table or mantel. This guide covers what to look for in each flower and how to style it. If you want to dry your own, our ultimate guide to dried flowers has the how-to.
1. Banksia
Banksias are among the most recognisable Australian natives. Banksia baxteri, the bird’s nest banksia from Western Australia, has a lemon-coloured, oval flower spike that looks a little like a nest perched on a stem. Their woody stems hold little moisture, so they dry in a vase and keep their shape.
How to style it: use a banksia as the focal point of a bouquet, paired with gum leaves or fine grasses. A single dried banksia in a heavy ceramic vase also works well on its own on a bookshelf.
2. Billy Buttons
Billy buttons (Craspedia) are bright yellow balls on long, straight stems, found from coastal regions to the mountains. They add height and a pop of sunshine to any dried arrangement, and they hold their colour well. To dry them yourself, hang them upside down somewhere cool and dark.
How to style it: group a dozen stems in a narrow bottle vase, or tuck a few through a neutral bouquet of grasses for colour.
3. Emu Feather
Sold dried as “emu feather”, this long-stemmed, feathery foliage starts out green and fades to a soft off-white as it dries. It adds a light, airy texture that softens chunkier natives like banksia and contrasts nicely with grey-green gum.
How to style it: use it as a soft background in a bouquet, or let a few stems spill over the edge of a low bowl.
4. Preserved Misty
Misty starts life as Limonium (sea lavender), which grows in salt marshes along Australia’s east coast. Dried and preserved, it turns a bright off-white, and professional preservers also colour it in a range of soft hues. It’s the classic filler: light, cloud-like and good at softening a bouquet. Professionally preserved misty usually lasts longer and keeps its colour better than home-dried stems.
How to style it: fill gaps in a native arrangement, or bunch it on its own in a jar for a simple, airy look.
5. Lotus Pods
Photo by Drejwen on Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped
The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) grows wild in wetlands in northern Australia, where it’s generally regarded as native, and its pale pink to deep rose flowers can cover billabongs in summer. For dried arrangements, it’s the seed pods we want: flat-topped, sculptural and dark brown.
How to style it: add a couple of pods to a bouquet for contrast against pale grasses and green gum, or display two or three in a narrow vase for a minimal, modern look.
Styling Dried Natives at Home
Mix textures. Pair one chunky focal flower (banksia, protea or lotus pod) with something soft (misty, emu feather or grasses).
Keep it out of direct sun. Sunlight fades dried flowers quickly. Bright, indirect light is best.
Avoid humid spots. Bathrooms and steamy kitchens can make dried flowers droop or go mouldy.
Dust gently. A hairdryer on the cool, low setting removes dust without damage.
Refresh, don’t replace. Add a few new stems each season to change the look.
For more ideas, see our guide to using dried flowers in home decor, learn the difference between dried and preserved flowers, or explore the wider grand collection of Australian native flowers.
Dry Your Own or Buy Ready-Made
You can dry many natives at home by hanging them upside down in a cool, dark, airy place for a few weeks. Our full guide explains which flowers dry best and how:
If you’d rather have it done for you, browse our dried and preserved flower bouquets and native flower range. Each piece is made to order and delivered across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with same-day delivery when you order before the daily cut-off.