Swamp Banksia

Description:

Banksia robur, commonly known as "swamp banksia", or less commonly "broad-leaved banksia", is an Australian native plant from the family Proteaceae. Like all banksias, swamp banksia has amazing flowers, and the dry seed cones are quite the sight. Australian children's author May Gibbs wrote stories about those. This is a small to medium size shrub which can grow 2-3 metres high and wide, and has large and distinctive paddle-shaped leaves with a toothed margin. It was the margin that initially made me think this spotting was B. serrata. In their mature state, flower spikes look very similar as do the seed cones, but it turns out the leaves are smaller, and the serrated margin is more saw-like.

Habitat:

Swamp Banksia is found in suitable habitats along the east coast of Australia from north east Queensland to the Illawarra region of New South Wales. It grows on sandy soils in swamps and seasonally boggy land. This spotting was by the freshwater lagoon at Brisbane Botanical Gardens, Mt. Coot-tha.