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BANKSIA
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Botanical Name: B. ashbeyi (yellow-orange), B. baxteri (pale green), Banksia coccinea (red), B. menziesii (yellow-scarlet), B. prionotes (yellow), B.speciosa (lime)
Country of Origin: Australia
General Description/History
There are about 80 species of banksia, with up to 20 being used as cut flowers. A member of the Protea family, banksias have cone-shaped flower heads (inflorescences) made up of hundreds of tiny flowers that open from the base, giving them their fluffy appearance. Banksias are part of the Proteaceae family which includes African proteas as well as Australian grevilleas and waratahs.
Banksia was named after Joseph Banks, who first collected the plant in Australia during Cook's voyage of 1770. Some of Banks’ original specimens are still kept at the Royal Botanic Gardens’ National Herbarium, Melbourne.
Most banksia flowers are yellow, but they are also found in red (eg B. coccinea), green (B. baxteri), and creamy orange (B. hookeriana). They are not scented. Banksias are very popular cut flowers in Australia and overseas, due to their distinctive shape and long vase life. Many banksias can also be dried successfully. Banksia cones are also used in floristry in Australia because of their unusual shape and texture.
Banksias are grown outside in field plantations, bush picking is discouraged. Most commercially-grown varieties are cultivated in WA, SA, QLD and NSW.
What to look for:
- Flower heads with the bottom third of flowers open and fluffy;
- Clear colour; grey flowers are old;
- Avoid wet flowers, especially in the orange-coloured forms, as wet flowers can develop black streaks.
Arrangement Inspiration
Arrange with similar or Australian seasonal flora such as proteas, Kangaroo Paw, gum, leucadendrons, dryandra, Bribie pine, Koala fern, ti-tree, thryptomene or Geraldton Wax.
Flower Care
- Keep cool whenever possible.
- Strip leaves from the lower half of each stem.
- Recut at least 2 cm off each stem and place in cold water immediately.
- A preservative is recommended, but not essential.
- Replace vase water with fresh preservative every day as Banksias are thirsty flowers.
- Never mist these flowers as this could cause black marks to appear.
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