Oak-leaved banksia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oak-leaved banksia |
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| Banksia quercifolia in Kings Park | |
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Banksia
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| Species: |
quercifolia
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The Oak-leaved Banksia, also known as Banksia quercifolia, is a special kind of shrub. It grows only in the southwestern part of Western Australia. This plant has smooth, greenish bark. Its leaves are wavy and have jagged edges, a bit like an oak leaf. It produces beautiful yellow, orange, or brown flowers. These flowers grow in tall, cylinder-shaped spikes. After the flowers, it forms seed pods called follicles. These pods are surrounded by the old flower parts.
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What the Oak-leaved Banksia Looks Like
The Oak-leaved Banksia is a shrub that usually grows between 0.5 and 3 meters tall. It has smooth, greenish-brown bark. As the plant gets older, its bark turns grey and looks a bit like a puzzle.
Its leaves are narrow and wedge-shaped. They are 30 to 150 millimeters long and 10 to 40 millimeters wide. The leaves have wavy, jagged edges and grow on a short stalk called a petiole.
The flowers grow in a cylindrical spike. This spike is 20 to 100 millimeters long and 35 to 45 millimeters wide when the flowers open. The flowers can be yellow, orange, or brown. Each flower has a part called a perianth, which is 23 to 27 millimeters long. It also has a stiff, curved pistil, which is 17 to 21 millimeters long.
Oak-leaved Banksias bloom from March to November. Up to 35 seed pods, called follicles, can grow on each flower head. These pods are broad and wavy. They are 15 to 20 millimeters long, 11 to 15 millimeters high, and 4 to 6 millimeters wide.
How the Oak-leaved Banksia Got Its Name
The first time a scientist collected a sample of B. quercifolia was in December 1801. This was done by Robert Brown. He was a botanist on a ship called HMS Investigator. He found the plant near King George Sound.
Brown officially described this plant in 1810. He published his findings in a scientific journal. Later, in 1869, another scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller described two types of B. quercifolia. However, these different types are not recognized by today's plant experts.
Where the Oak-leaved Banksia Lives
The Oak-leaved Banksia grows along the south coast of Western Australia. You can find it from D'Entrecasteaux National Park in the west to Mount Manypeaks in the east. It often grows in low areas, wet flats, and near swamps. It prefers sandy soils that are white or grey and feel a bit like peat.
The Future of the Oak-leaved Banksia
Scientists have studied how climate change might affect this plant. They found that the area where it grows could shrink a lot by the year 2080. Its home might become 50% to 80% smaller. This depends on how much the climate changes.
Growing Oak-leaved Banksia in Gardens
The Oak-leaved Banksia is a fast-growing shrub. It becomes bushy and can start flowering within five years if grown from a seed. Its flowers are sometimes hidden by the leaves. However, there are many of them, and they last for a long time.
Because this plant naturally grows in wet places, it might handle more moisture than other types of banksias. The seeds do not need any special treatment to grow. They usually take about 25 to 40 days to sprout.
- Taylor, Anne; Hopper, Stephen (1988). The Banksia Atlas (Australian Flora and Fauna Series Number 8). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-07124-9.
