Botanical Name: Banksia menziesii
Family: PROTEACEAE
Flowering Period: March to September
Native to: Western Australia, from Pinjarra to Shark Bay.

This large shrub/small tree is known as the ‘Firewood Banksia’ for obvious reasons; the wood burns away to a fine ash. It grows in a crooked or gnarled fashion to between 8 and 15m high and has finely serrated leathery leaves that are 15-30cm long and 2.5-4cm wide. The leaf underside is covered with fine rust-coloured hair.

Its spectacular, 10cm long flower heads are cylindrical in bud, at first a velvety silver-grey, then red tipped with silver, before the flowers begin to open and release wiry golden styles. As they open from the bottom first, the spike becomes acorn-shaped, taking on a wine-red, silver and gold colours arranged in neat vertical rows.

Honey-eating birds such as the Western Spinebill, Red Wattle Birds and Little Wattle Birds and Singing, Brown, New Holland and White-cheeked Honey-eaters use the nectar during its long flowering period.

Location in Zoo: Country Road opposite Cockatoo exhibit.