Banksia is a genus of plants iconic to Australia, where they are all found except one the Tropical Banksia, Banksia dentata , which occurs across northern Australia, in Papua New Guinea, Irian Jaya and the Aru Islands.
It is a genus of around 200 species in the plant family Proteaceae, 90% of which are endemic to southwestern Australia. First appearing 100 million years ago, the genus either evolved in northeast Antarctica or at the extreme corner of southwestern Australia (when they were joined as part of Gondwana land). From there, they spread to the rest of Australia over the next 50 million years.
These plants are a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush as an important food source for all sorts of animals, including birds, bats, native rodents, possums and a host of invertebrates. Also, they are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries.
Banksia plants are threatened by land clearing, frequent burning and disease, and several species are rare and endangered.
It is a genus of around 200 species in the plant family Proteaceae, 90% of which are endemic to southwestern Australia. First appearing 100 million years ago, the genus either evolved in northeast Antarctica or at the extreme corner of southwestern Australia (when they were joined as part of Gondwana land). From there, they spread to the rest of Australia over the next 50 million years.
These plants are a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush as an important food source for all sorts of animals, including birds, bats, native rodents, possums and a host of invertebrates. Also, they are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries.
Banksia plants are threatened by land clearing, frequent burning and disease, and several species are rare and endangered.
Dryandras
Dryandra is a large group of 92 plants, only found in WA belonging to the Proteaceae family. In 2007 Dryandra's were reclassified to be absorbed into the Banksia genus as a subspecies series. Both groups have flower heads or inflorescences made up of many hundreds or even thousands of individual flowers. The Banksia flowers are borne on elongated spikes, whereas the Dryandra flower heads are flattened and disk-shaped. Dryandras characteristically have a ring of bracts around the base of the flower heads.
(c) Hesperian- wikipedia
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Banksia formosa – Showy Dryandra is a species of shrub that is endemic to the South-West of Western Australia. It has leaves with up to forty triangular lobes on each side, more than two hundred, conspicuous golden orange flowers and up to sixteen egg-shaped follicles in each head.
(c) Harry Lurling- Inaturalist
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Thoughts from two self-taught Banksia enthusiasts - Kevin and Kathy Collins
What started out as revegetation of an empty farm paddock in 1986, turned into a unique and world-renown Banksia and Dryandra collection. Our banksia collection was authenticated and heralded as the world’s first and only complete collection by botanist, Alex George, in 1994. Since then, we have enjoyed support from many wildflower enthusiasts who have ventured into our lives and gardens in many forms; the cut flower industry, botanical gardens throughout the world, famous botanical artists and photographers, Landcare groups, Land for Wildlife and students of botany.
Very few self-taught botanical enthusiasts gain recognition from botanists. Alex George, recognised us and invited us to co-author the major banksia reference book ‘Banksias’. After two editions and over 8000 copies printed, it has now sold out.
We attended annual Kings Park Wildflower Festivals exhibiting our beautiful banksia blooms to entice visitors to our region. Our Banksia coccinea blooms were the focal point in Kings Park’s gold award winning display at the Chelsea Flower Show in London. They also popped up in the bouquets presented to the winners at the Para-Olympic games in Sydney in 2000.
Our notoriety rocketed by appearing three times on ABC’s ‘Gardening Australia’ and twice on ‘Better Homes & Gardens’.
In the meantime, we have spent time on banksia consultancies for local farmers, Californian growers in San Diego and, more recently, design elements for the new Banksia Garden at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. We also had input into the W.A. Agricultural Department’s, ‘Banksia Growers’ Manual’.
We have delivered talks and lectures to various wildflower associations, the Fred Rogers Banksia and Dryandra seminar in Colac, Victoria, to botanical garden staff in Chelsea, the Isles of Scilly, the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and Kew Garden in the U.K., to the Linnean society in Lyons and the Jardins de Roscoff in France, to Bonn Botanic Gardens in Germany and the University of California Botanic gardens in USA and recently the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. We’ve also assisted Australian and International PhD students with their research projects relating to banksia.
Celia Rosser was able to complete her true-to-life-size, Bauer-style masterpieces of all known banksias when we sent her the required specimens.
We have grown seedlings for floriculture and sold seed for many years to commercial and home growers including overseas and are annually encouraging younger generations in workshops at Twin Creeks Reserve in the Porongurups on planting native vegetation.
We are leaders of both the Banksia & Dryandra study groups for the Australian Native Plants Society of Australia. Our quest now, is to grow all 145 taxa of Dryandra, the current tally is 125, the largest collection in the world!
We are currently assisting the Plantagenet Shire to create Banksia Gardens in Centenary Park, showcasing the 25 species growing within 50 kms of Mt. Barker.
We live in the richest natural banksia area in Australia.
Written by Kevin and Kathy Collins.
What started out as revegetation of an empty farm paddock in 1986, turned into a unique and world-renown Banksia and Dryandra collection. Our banksia collection was authenticated and heralded as the world’s first and only complete collection by botanist, Alex George, in 1994. Since then, we have enjoyed support from many wildflower enthusiasts who have ventured into our lives and gardens in many forms; the cut flower industry, botanical gardens throughout the world, famous botanical artists and photographers, Landcare groups, Land for Wildlife and students of botany.
Very few self-taught botanical enthusiasts gain recognition from botanists. Alex George, recognised us and invited us to co-author the major banksia reference book ‘Banksias’. After two editions and over 8000 copies printed, it has now sold out.
We attended annual Kings Park Wildflower Festivals exhibiting our beautiful banksia blooms to entice visitors to our region. Our Banksia coccinea blooms were the focal point in Kings Park’s gold award winning display at the Chelsea Flower Show in London. They also popped up in the bouquets presented to the winners at the Para-Olympic games in Sydney in 2000.
Our notoriety rocketed by appearing three times on ABC’s ‘Gardening Australia’ and twice on ‘Better Homes & Gardens’.
In the meantime, we have spent time on banksia consultancies for local farmers, Californian growers in San Diego and, more recently, design elements for the new Banksia Garden at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. We also had input into the W.A. Agricultural Department’s, ‘Banksia Growers’ Manual’.
We have delivered talks and lectures to various wildflower associations, the Fred Rogers Banksia and Dryandra seminar in Colac, Victoria, to botanical garden staff in Chelsea, the Isles of Scilly, the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and Kew Garden in the U.K., to the Linnean society in Lyons and the Jardins de Roscoff in France, to Bonn Botanic Gardens in Germany and the University of California Botanic gardens in USA and recently the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. We’ve also assisted Australian and International PhD students with their research projects relating to banksia.
Celia Rosser was able to complete her true-to-life-size, Bauer-style masterpieces of all known banksias when we sent her the required specimens.
We have grown seedlings for floriculture and sold seed for many years to commercial and home growers including overseas and are annually encouraging younger generations in workshops at Twin Creeks Reserve in the Porongurups on planting native vegetation.
We are leaders of both the Banksia & Dryandra study groups for the Australian Native Plants Society of Australia. Our quest now, is to grow all 145 taxa of Dryandra, the current tally is 125, the largest collection in the world!
We are currently assisting the Plantagenet Shire to create Banksia Gardens in Centenary Park, showcasing the 25 species growing within 50 kms of Mt. Barker.
We live in the richest natural banksia area in Australia.
Written by Kevin and Kathy Collins.
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