Banksia Species, Hairpin Banksia

Another common name for this showy plant is Giant Candles. It is an extremely attractive shrub.

This plant is a native t...Read Moreo Australia. Three varieties of B.spinulosa are recognized; var. spinulosa, var. neoanglica and var. collina. All are small to medium shrubs with stems which arise from a lignotuber. Var.collina is found in coastal New South Wales north from Sydney.

Although the name suggests it is spiny, it truly isn't one of those plants that will prick you if you touched.

Propagation from seed or cuttings is basically easy. Named cultivars should only be propagated from cuttings as they will not come true from seed. The fruits protect seeds from animals that forage. Most of the time, the fruits will not open until they have been burnt or are thoroughly dried out. The best way to prepare the seed would be to put it in your oven at about 130F for an hour or so. The follicles will open and you will be able to get at the seed. There will be two black seeds in each follicle with a separator. The seeds are prone to fungal attacks therefore any medium should be baked in your oven or sterilized in your microwave prior to use. Transplant seedlings to small pots as soon as the first true leaves appear. A combination of peat moss and sand can be used. Although the plant may be somewhat drought tolerant when mature, at no time should seeds be allowed to dry out.