It took flower grower Paul Dalley almost seven years before he found the perfect Australian native for the Japanese flower market, but once he did he never looked back.

"When we first sent it from here, they got really excited. They rang up the next day and said: 'When are you going to send more of this?'" Dalley said.

The flower in question is the Australian Christmas bush, so named because of its bright red flowers that bloom over green leaves in December. The plant grows wild in bushland around Sydney and is a staple centerpiece for many Australian Christmas lunches.