Gossypium sturtianum nandewarense

Description

Sturt's Desert Rose (Gossypium sturtianum) is a woody shrub, closely related to cultivated cotton, found in most mainland states of Australia and the Northern Territory. It is also known as the Darling River Rose, Cotton Rosebush and Australian Cotton. The plant has a life span of about 10 years, growing from 1-2 m tall and 1-2 m wide. The colour of the petals can range from pale pink to dark purple to maroon. The five petals are arranged in a whorl and have a dark red centre. They can be seen for most of the year but peak in late winter. They are up to 12 cm in diameter. The leaves are different shades of green, round and strongly scented when crushed.