 The species is well renowned for its striking large red springtime inflorescences (flowerheads), each including hundreds of individual flowers.These are visited by the eastern pygmy possum ("Cercartetus nanus"), birds such as honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), and various insects.The floral emblem for its home state of New South Wales, "Telopea speciosissima" has featured prominently in art, architecture, and advertising, particularly since Australian federation.