Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens Silver Banksia Banksia marginata FAST FACTS Attractive, small and neat, Silver Banksia Attracts : Although the flowers are not Tree (Banksia marginata ) is an Australian native particularly showy, the nectar attracts Family: Proteaceae tree from the Ballarat area that is a favourite butterflies and native birds, including Protea with birds and gardeners alike. Ballarat’s many small Honeyeaters. Size: 5m H x 2m W Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos enjoy Location : Silver Banksia can grow quite Position: Sunny feasting on the seeds from the ‘banksia tall (5-6m) but don’t have wide spreading Soil: Well drained, dry men’ fruit. branches, so a sunny position in a narrow Flowers: Spring – Summer spot or a small garden is perfect. Planting : Silver Banksia are quite tough Fruits: “Banksia Men” and will grow really well in your garden if Care: Not too much water Leaves : Leaves are dark green with silver- planted within a few days of purchase in a grey undersides and toothed edges. hole not much larger than the pot. Give it Flowers : Every year, over spring and well a good ½ bucket of water as soon as you into summer, pale yellow flowers blossom plant it. It should be fine after that. amongst the foliage. They also make great Care : Once settled in, Silver Banksia cut flowers. actually don’t like too much water so plant Bark : As the tree matures, it develops a them somewhere where fussy plants gnarled, dark grey trunk which will add won’t survive. some great character to your garden. For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia..