Banksia

A beautiful bright red and silver flowering banksia from Western Australia, Banksia Coccinea, or Scarlet Banksia, is popular in the cut flower industry and delights the gardener with its arresting visual display. The dazzling blooms appear from late winter to early summer - attracting native birds and bees. Cut back old flowering stems that have finished, along with any straggly stems, to encourage a more dense habit. The Scarlet Banksia is the one plant you will want in your garden - the blooms in the home will provide an arresting visual treat!

Soil: Well-drained soils.
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade. Frost, coastal and drought tolerant.
Size: Height 3-5m x width 3m

Banksia petiolaris is a striking prostrate banksia prized for its lush green, upright, serrated foliage and impressive golden blooms. Unlike many upright banksias, this variety forms a low-growing, spreading habit that hugs the ground while sending up its large, bright yellow, candle-like flower spikes above the foliage from late winter through to summer. Its spreading nature makes it an excellent choice for rockeries, erosion control, and covering embankments, where it can gradually form a dense, weed-suppressing groundcover over a wide area. The bold flowers not only create a dramatic display but also attract birds and pollinators to the garden. With minimal maintenance and high visual impact, Banksia petiolaris is a superb addition to Australian native landscapes.

Soil: Well-drained soil
Conditions: Full sun to part shade. Tolerates frost, short wet periods and extended dry spells.
Size: Height 0.5m x width 4m

Soil: Well-drained soil.
Conditions: Full sun. Coastal, salt, wind, frost, and drought tolerant.
Size: In a garden, it can grow up to 4–6m tall and 3–4m wide, but regular pruning can help maintain a smaller, more compact size, particularly in pots or small spaces.

Banksia caleyi, commonly known as Red Lantern Banksia, is a hardy, bushy evergreen shrub prized for its bold form and striking floral display. Endemic to a narrow coastal strip between Albany and Esperance in Western Australia, this spectacular banksia produces dramatic reddish-maroon, inverted flower spikes from spring through summer. The nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for birds and insects, adding life and movement to the landscape. It features thick, leathery, glossy green foliage that provides year-round structure and contrast in the garden. Pruning after flowering encourages dense regrowth and helps maintain a compact, tidy habit. Red Lantern Banksia is well suited to native gardens, general landscaping, mass plantings, embankments, and can also be grown successfully in large pots and containers.

Soil: Prefers gravelly shallow well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged soils.
Conditions: Full sun. Wind, salt, coastal and drought tolerant. Frost tender.
Size: Height 2-4m x width 2-4m