Like Christmas lunches by the beach and ugly festive rashies, Australians have never been shy to put their unique spin on yuletide traditions.
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With shortages preventing many families from getting their hands on Christmas trees this year, horticulturalists are urging shoppers to adopt a uniquely Australian solution - native Christmas trees.
Ross Hooper, manager of Zanthorrea native plant nursery in Perth's outer suburbs, says Australian natives are a smart alternative to the traditional North American pines that dominate the market.
One ersatz Christmas tree gaining in popularity is the woolly bush (Adenanthos sericeus), a species endemic to the the south coast of Western Australia.
An attractive silver-green shrub that can grow to a few metres in height, its velvety soft foliage makes it an ideal plant for the household, Mr Hooper said.
"That's probably the most popular one we sell," he told AAP.
"They work well as a Christmas tree. People can keep them inside for up to a month, decorate them up and plant them out in the garden if they want to afterwards."
Unlike radiata pines, which are traditionally used in Australia, woolly bushes don't need to be cut down to be displayed in the house and can keep living well after Christmas is over.
Moreover, they are well suited to growing in pots and don't require much water or fertiliser, making them an easy plant to maintain.
While Mr Hooper said there was nothing wrong with buying a traditional pine tree if that's what a customer wanted, Australian natives had many benefits.
"Australia's got amazing, unique flora," he said.
"It's worth celebrating the natural flora that we've got."
Mr Hooper said other native plants could also make good Christmas tree alternatives, such as the Rottnest Island pine, the ancient Wollemi pine or even small eucalypts.
The fuchsia gum (Eucalyptus forrestiana), with its striking red flowers, is an attractive option if customers do not mind a non-traditional tree shape.
Aesthetic and functional motivations aside, native plants have one major advantage this year - price.
East coast floods have decimated pine stocks, with trees shorter than 182cm selling for up to $200, almost 40 per cent more than last year.
With native alternatives readily available in nurseries around the country, it doesn't take a wise man to avoid Christmas catastrophe.
Australian Associated Press
