Family: Proteaceae
Scientific name: Banksia spinulosa
English name: Hairpin Banksia
Origin: Australia

The inflorescence of this Banksia species is unusual in appearance, measuring up to 15 cm and consisting of hundreds of individual flowers. The basic color is golden yellow and the protruding, hook-shaped styles are purplish and sometimes pink or red. They give off a wonderful nectar scent, making them attractive to a variety of pollinators. In Australia, these include bees, birds and marsupials, but in Europe these will mainly be butterflies and bees. After pollination, hard fruits are formed which only open in a forest fire. In this way, the seeds are dispersed as soon as there is fertile soil and therefore room to grow. The species is native to eastern Australia where it can be found mainly in dry, open forests and on rocky soils along the coast. It is a woody shrub with narrow leaves that reaches a height of about 2 to 3 meters in Australia. We can keep it as a tub plant, keeping it somewhat smaller at 1 or 2 meters. Provide a well-drained soil (including sand) and a sunny location. The plant can tolerate a few degrees of frost, but it is recommended to let it hibernate in a cool, light place.  

Sowing directions: Sow seeds a few mm deep in a mixture of sand and seeding and cutting soil (1:1). Cover completely with foil or glass to keep the soil constantly slightly moist. Germination usually within 2 to 5 weeks at 20-25 grC. If necessary, you can mix some wood-ash through the soil to stimulate germination.

Sowing time: All year
Difficulty: Intermediate
Minimum temperature: -5 degrees Celsius