Banksia

The banksia is one of my favourite flowers and this one in our garden (banksia praemorsa yellow), was simply asking to be blipped. Being a very busy Monday, today was a good day to do it after our hectic weekend of bird hunting.

It is a heavy producer of nectar, birds and bees love this flower and it is one of our most popular native plants.

Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from small prostrate woody shrubs to trees up to 30 metres tall.

Bigger cone.

Named after Sir Joseph Banks, he was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences. He took part in Captain James Cook's first great voyage (1768-1771). Banks is credited with the introduction to the Western world of eucalyptus, acacia, mimosa and the genus named after him, Banksia. Approximately 80 species of plants bear Banks's name.