| Name |
Flower |
Blooms
|
Height
(feet)
|
Why Grow? |
Why Not? |
Banksia
ashbyi
Sunrise |
Orange-gold oval cone, 3-6 in. long. |
Aug
to
Nov
|
6 - 8
|
May bloom all year, most heavily in the fall; drought, heat tolerant. |
Hard to find. |
B. baxteri
Bird's nest |
Yellow-green globe, 2-3 in. across. |
May
to
Sep
|
10
|
Interesting leaves look as if they're cut with pinking shears. |
Does better in cool, light soil. |
B. Grandis
Giant or Bull |
Yellow-green oval, 8-12 in. long. |
Mar
to
May
|
30 - 40
|
Attractive
foliage, woolly branches, pinking-shear leaves, big blooms. |
Slow grower. Can get too large for some gardens. |
B. integrifolia
Coast |
Yellow-green corncob shape, 3-6 in. long. |
All
Year
|
10 - 40
|
Tolerates heavy soil better than most; fast growing, leaves have silvery underside. |
Blooms produced along branches may be hidden by foliage. |
B. menziesii
Raspberry Frost |
Red and gold cones, 5 in. long. |
July
to
Jan
|
12 - 25
|
Heavy bloom over long period; attractive toothed leaves. |
Slow grower; likes sandy soil. |
B. prionotes
Orange Acorn |
Light orange cones, 3-5 in. long. |
July
to
Mar
|
12 - 25
|
One of the showiest banksias; blooms over long period, buds woolly white. |
|
B. speciosa
Rickrack |
Yellow, hairy flower, 5-8 in. long. |
May
to
Sep
|
10 - 25
|
Quite
attractive foliage with saw-toothed leaves. |
Prefers cool, sandy soil. |
B. victoriae
Woolly orange |
Orange, upright spikes, 4-6 in. long. |
June
to
July
|
6 - 12
|
Heavy bloomer; new growth especially attractive. |
Prefers sandy soil. Leaves have spines. |
Dryandra formosa
Gold pins |
Yellow-gold sea urchin shape, 3 in. across. |
Jan
to
May
|
8 - 15
|
Interesting flower, dries very well. |
Sensitive, prefers sandy soil. |
Leucadendron argenteum
Silver tree |
Inconspicuous; grown for silvery foliage. |
All
Year
|
20 - 30
|
Will grow in containers; silvery hairs reflect light, so leaves shine. |
Flowers
inconspicuous, airy location. |
L. discolor
(male)
Flame tip |
Light yellow with red center, 3 in. across. |
Mar
to
May
|
6 - 7
|
Very showy flowers. |
Hard to tell whether plant grown from seedling is male or female. |
L. discolor
(female)
Flame tip |
Pale, greenish white, 3 in. across. |
Mar
to
May
|
6 - 7
|
Cut
flowers last longer than the male form of this flower. Cones. |
|
Leucospermum catherinae
Pinwheel |
Yellow-orange, spidery, 5 in. across. |
April
to
May
|
5
|
Unusual,
striking flower; may tolerate cold better than most. |
Can be cantankerous to grow. |
L. cordifolium
Pincushion |
Yellow-orange to bright salmon sea urchin shape, 3-4 in. across. |
Feb
to
June
|
4 - 6
|
Easy to grow, heavy bloomer; tolerates alkaline soil. |
Flowers don't dry as well as others. |
L.
reflexum
Rocket
L. luteum
Yellow variety |
Red-orange-yellow
pincushions, 3 in. across. |
Feb
to
May
|
10
|
Tubular
flowers bend downward with age, resembling rockets; attractive
foliage. |
Short-lived
as cut flowers. |
Protea compacta
Prince |
Pink or white, gray-centered, 2-1/4 to 4 in. long. |
Nov
to
May
|
8 - 12
|
Blooms heavily during winter and spring. |
Prune carefully or plants become leggy. |
P. cynaroides
King |
Light pink to red artichoke-shaped buds. 8-12 in. across. |
Feb
to
June
|
3 - 7
|
Easier to grow than most; okay in containers; a show-stopper. |
Slow to bloom; plant must be large enough to support huge flowers. |
P. eximia
Rose spoon
Duchess |
Light pink to red, outer petals resemble spoons, 4-5 in. across. |
All
Year
|
6 - 8
|
Easier to grow than many, blooms heavily in spring; tolerates cold and is handsome dried. |
Flowers get untidy unless picked off plant. |
P. grandiceps
Princess |
Salmon to coral, artichoke shape, 4 in. across. |
Nov
to
May
|
3 - 5
|
Tolerates cold; interesting furry flower tips. |
Very slow growing. |
P. magnifica
Queen |
Pinkish or yellow onion shape, 6-8 in. across. |
Feb
to
May
|
3 - 5
|
Like its name it is magnificent; tolerates cold. |
Difficult to grow; damps off (fungus disease) when young - a challenge. |
P. nerilfolia
Pink mink
Oleander leaf |
Pink
with black fur at tips, artichoke shape, 3 in. across. Other
colors also available. |
Aug
to
April
|
9 - 15
|
Fast growing, easier to grow than many; tolerates alkaline soil; yellow flower variety also available. |
No reason. |
P. obtusifolia
Jester
Holiday red |
Red
or white oval, 3 in. across. |
Oct
to
Mar
|
8 - 12
|
A star in alkaline soil; tolerates clay; flowers from a young age. |
Flowers
not very showy, exude sticky nectar. Christmas flowers. |
P. repens
Sugarbush |
Rose or white artichoke shape, spiny center, 3 in. across. |
Jul-Aug
and
Dec-Feb
|
7 - 10
|
Tolerates cold and alkaline soil better than most. |
Buds exude sticky nectar (once used as a sweetener). |
P. scolymocephaia
Rock garden |
Creamy to greenish yellow saucers, 1-1/2 in. across. |
Mar
to
June
|
3 - 7
|
Easy to grow, heavy bloomer; excellent cut flower. |
Flowers
small and on short stems. Better with some shade. |
