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Firewood Banksia Wikimedia Commons
Proteaceae

Firewood Banksia

Banksia menziesii

Resilience through fire.

Family
Proteaceae
Genus
Banksia
Native to
Western Australia
Bloom season
Fall, Winter
Type
evergreen tree
Height
15-30 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
sandy, well-drained, low nutrient
Water
low
Hardiness
9-11
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Named after Archibald Menzies, the Scottish surgeon-botanist who collected it during the Vancouver Expedition in 1791.
  • The flower spikes contain up to 1,000 individual flowers and change color from pink at the base to red at the top as they open.
  • Aboriginal Noongar people soaked the flower spikes in water to create a sweet drink.
  • The woody seed follicles are held tightly shut until fire passes through, then open to release seeds onto the cleared ground.
  • Honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds visit the flowers constantly, and a single spike can produce several teaspoons of nectar.

Color meanings

0

resilience

1

rebirth

2

ancient wisdom

Uses

  • ornamental
  • cut flowers
  • wildlife habitat
  • indigenous food