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Candlestick Banksia

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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

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Last reviewed 20 May 2020
Last updated 20 May 2020