Grevillea banksii

 

Grevillea banksii

- known by various common names including red silky oak, dwarf silky oak, Banks' grevillea, Byfield waratah and, in Hawaii, Kahili flower or Kahili tree. It is a plant of the large genus Grevillea in the diverse family Proteaceae. Native to Queensland, it has been a popular garden plant for many years though has been superseded somewhat horticulturally by smaller and more floriferous hybrids. A white-flowered form G. banksii fo. albiflora is known as white silky oak. [1]


Native to Queensland but found in New South Wales and Western Australia. Will grow in most areas of Australia except the coldest areas. [2]

Grevillea banksii is naturally found in Australia growing in scattered coastal regions and the adjoining islands in eastern Queensland on ridges in exposed positions. It grows in a well drained sandy to gravelly clay soil that is tending acidic with a pH range from 5.5 to 7.0. It prefers an open sunny position with ample moisture during summer. It is drought, salt spray and humidity tolerant but frost tender.

Bank's Grevillea is grown for its flowers and variable habit. It is planted in parks or gardens as a specimen or in shrub borders for screening. It is suitable for coastal regions establishing in 2 to 3 years and can be grown in containers or used as a small street tree attracting birds. Once established it has a medium water requirement, (Scale: 2-drops from 3) and responds to mulching with an occasional deep watering during dry periods

A majority of this genus is endemic to Australia with a larger proportion found in south-western Western Australia.

They consist of prostrate shrubs, shrubs and trees with a large range of foliage types and are usually bird attracting.

The inflorescences range from globular heads that may be elongated to toothbrush-like one sided raceme.

The individual flowers consist of a perianth tube that is made up of four segments that are fused except for one side. There are four stamens that are arranged at the tip of the perianth tube and a long hooked style. [3]

Grevillea banksii was named after the botanist Sir Joseph Banks and it is the parent of many well-known grevilleas such as ‘Robyn Gordon’, ‘Superb’, ‘Coconut Ice’, ‘Claire Dee’ and ‘Misty Pink’. [4]


#RaselOgraphy
Device used: Nikon D60
Location & Time: Victoria, Australia; July/2020



Comments