Banksia spinulosa
Plant Number: 1
Common Name: Golden Candlestick Banksia, Hairpin Banksia
Scientific Name: Banksia spinulosa
Derivation of name
Banksia - commemorates Sir Joseph Banks, the botanist who travelled with Captain Cook
spinulosa - with small spines, probably refers to the leaf tip, of the plant originally described
Description
- Tree to two metres distributed along the east coastline of Australia to the forest of the Great Dividing Range
- Whorled leaf arrangement, serrated leaves dark green above and white below
- Flower golden yellow to orange, up to 20 cm in length
- Flower spike with hundreds of small separate flowers
- Fruit is a woody cone with approximately 100 woody follicles that contain winged seeds
Human uses
Flowers used as a source of nectar, best harvested in the early morning before evaporation and birds deplete the yield. Nectar either sucked off plant or flower soaked in water to make a sweet drink. Seed cones used as hairbrushes.
Acknowledgment: Mangroves to Mountains, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Wild Food Plants of Australia, Mutaroo
Photo Credit: James Gaither