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Banksias are nectar-producing plants unique to Australia's natural
environment. They belong to the Predecease family and are woody and
evergreen. With the exception of the nursery industry, Banksias have
limited commercial use.
As Garden Plants
Banksias are popular garden plants in Australia due to their large,
showy flower heads, and their ability to attract birds and small animals
by producing large amounts of nectar. Especially popular due to their
size, Banksias grow as shrubs and rarely as trees. While the tallest
species B. integrifolia is hardy and frost tolerant, smaller trees and
big shrubs like B. grandis, B. prionotes, B. marginata, B. coccinea, B.
speciosa, B. menziesii are planted in parks, gardens and streets.
Other popular garden varieties include B. ericifolia, B. aemula,
Banksias media and the cultivar Banksias 'Giant Candles'. With urban
gardens becoming smaller, dwarf cultivars and prostrate species like B.
spinulosa and B. petiolaris are becoming more popular.
While commercial nurserymen prefer the cutting or grafting method, they
are primarily propagated by seed in the home garden and require more
care compared to other Australian natives. Averse to phosphorous
fertilizers, they require sun exposure well drained soil and pruning
after being well established.
Cut flower industry
Flower heads of B. coccinea, B. baxteri and B. hookeriana are harvested
for the cut flower trade. The trees being an important substitute of
nectar are sought by beekeepers to meet up market demand.
Usage in Woodworking industry
Reddish in colour with an attractive grain, Banksia wood is used for
ornamental purposes in woodturning, cabinet panelling and making keels
for small boats as it warps badly on drying. While the large "cones" or
seedpods of B. grandis are used for woodturning projects, its wood
slices are sold as drink coasters and marketed as souvenirs for
international tourists. The wood of B. serrata was used for yokes and
boat parts during ancient times.
Indigenous usage
Banksias trees serve as the source of extraction for edible insect
larvae. Indigenous people of south-western Australia obtain nectar by
sucking up flower spikes. They also make a sweet drink by soaking the
flower spikes in water.
Banksias are an endangered species of plant widespread in Australia and
must be preserved due to their uses in the human society and animal
world alike.
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