The stereotypical Christmas tree is an evergreen conifer, drooping at the foliage end from the weight of the crisp, lazy snow. Even in Australia, where temperatures soar past the 100 mark... and more, we idolise this sentimental picture as though it were something we experience every year.

If the truth be told, however, our environment couldn't be more extremely opposite than the images we hold dear.

So it's with a tinge of passion, and patriotic pride, that I reveal the Australian Christmas tree; Nuytsia floribunda. This tree shouts Ocker; Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...Oi! Oi! Oi! from every pore in its genetic makeup. It's even got the lights already in place and needs no more adornment.

As a gardener, I love the seasons as they come and go. When winter rolls around the acacias light up the bush dismissing the depressingly grey clouds overhead. Then the banksias, proteas and grevilleas summon in the start of spring as the Geraldton waxes follow them up like a child lagging on his way to school.

And once they've all finished their vain promotion, and the grasses have turned a golden brown, the Nuytsia stands to attention and flicks the switch on the most incredible light show the bush has ever seen. The lighthouse of the Australian native garden.

I've had an insatiable curiosity with these trees ever since my mother pointed them out when I was just a boy. How did they flower, when everything else had long finished and gone into seed production? But more importantly, why did we still buy conifers for Christmas instead of planting one of these?

The answer is because they're not the easiest plant to cultivate. As a member of the mistletoe family they're parasitic and require a host plant in cultivation. They can be propagated from their ripened seeds but when planted out need to be coupled with a host plant, anything that will allow itself to be dominated.

Once established, the Nuytsia can grow about 10-15m high and require very little water, relying predominantly on good winter rainfall. They will flower profusely from the start of December up until Christmas and their flowers commence hot orange fading to a dulled light ochre.

Nuytsias are a beautiful tree. Hopefully one day they will replace the snow-laden conifer on our Christmas cards and truthfully show an Australian December.