Common Name: Scarlet Banksia

Family: PROTEACEAE

View image slideshow

Origin of Scientific Name:

Banksia - After Sir Joseph Banks (1743 - 1820), famous English botanist and naturalist with a prolific list of botanical discoveries credited to him.

coccinea – (Latin) coccineus – scarlet, referring to flower colour.

Description

Banksia coccinea is a shrub or small tree found in and around Albany and the Stirling Ranges on the south coast of Western Australia, with a few populations between Albany and Esperance. It usually grows to about 4 metres but can reach up to 8 metres in height.

The Scarlet Banksia is one of the most attractive banksias with wide, toothed, light to mid-green leaves and large striking flowers of orange-red to bright scarlet that appear between May and January. These flowers are highly prized in the cut flower industry, not just because of their beauty but because of the long, fairly straight, single stems on which they grow.

This is a great plant for attracting nectar-feeding birds into your garden.

Horticultural tips

• Seeds of Banksia coccinea germinate fairly readily, usually within 3 to 6 weeks and without any pre-treatment. Make sure seed wing is pointing up, cover lightly with soil and keep warm and moist, but not wet.
• Banksia coccinea requires sandy, very well-drained soil in full sun. It will not do well in any area that experiences humid, wet summers as it readily succumbs to root rot fungus.
• All banksias respond well to light pruning, but over-enthusiasm with the secateurs can kill them. Cut back after flowering.

For more horticultural tips view our Plant Notes section.

View in Kings Park

Visit Kings Park and Botanic Garden to see Banksia coccinea in the Stirling Range Garden bed, in the Banksia Garden bed and opposite Aspects of Kings Park gallery shop (refer to map).

Want more information?

Refer to the profile for this plant on the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions' FloraBase online herbarium.