Featured Plant of the Week (Banksia)

Banksia

Like the strawflower from last week, Banksia is another Aussie. It's a genus of about 170 different species, all of which appear to be native to Australia. A popular wildflower and houseplant, its numerous flowers and "cones" give it a distinctive look. Banksia can be found in almost all of the various environments of Australia, from forests to arid scrublands, and occasionally even jungles.

Banksia was first described and named by Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist. He named the genus after Sir Joseph Banks, the Botanist that first collected Banksia specimens while on expedition. It's occasionally called q-tip plant, and it has over 100 other common names for the different species, such as candlestick, honeysuckle oak, and waterbush.

The most identifiable feature of Banksia is definitely its flower spikes. Most species of the plant have either a cylindrical or globular shaped flower spike from which hundreds or even thousands of tiny flowers sprout. These flowers usually come in yellow, orange and red, although pink or even violet is not unheard of. Aside from this striking detail, Banksia is as diverse as any other genus of plants. Some species are prostrate shrubs, while others grow to become enormous trees.

When the flowers die off they begin producing fruit called follicles, and the flower spike starts to take on a woody appearance. Old flower spikes are often called 'cones' for this reason, but they are not really cones like those on pines and other conifers. The follicles protect the seeds of the plant from the elements and grazers, and for most species will not open up until burned by brushfire or extreme heat. When the follicles do open they usually release two small seeds with wedge shaped papery leaves, which makes them spin as the fall to the ground.

Banksia is fairly hardy, and therefore pretty easy to care for. It does best is full sunshine, but should fare well indoors at a brightly lit spot. Most Banksia can endure dry conditions very well too, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Some varieties can endure the frost as well, but it should probably come inside just to be on the safe side. The only other note is that it should be planted in well-drained sandy soil, and fertilized with a low-phosphorus fertilizer. Finally, taking cut flowers will encourage further flower production and thicken the foliage.

You can buy 6" Assorted Banksia now at BloomRite® Gardens for only $5.95.