Browse plants / Proteaceae
Wavy-leaf banksia Banksia petiolaris
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
Flat, spreading banksia with stiff upright leaves and flower spikes at ground level.
Its stems creep along or just under the ground, sending up large, stiff, toothed leaves, and the flower spikes sit on the ground among them. An unusual, architectural groundcover for dry, sandy gardens.
In the garden
- Attracts
- Birds
- Flowers
- Upright spikes 8 to 15 cm tall at ground level, yellow with dark red styles.
- Leaves
- Long, stiff, upright leaves with toothed edges and a waxy grey-green surface.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
- Coast
- Sheltered coastal gardens
- Climate
- Dry summers (Mediterranean) and temperate
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Full sun in deep, sandy, free-draining soil. In humid or heavy-soil gardens choose a grafted plant, or grow it in a raised bed of sandy soil with good air movement. Leave room for it to spread 2 to 3 m.
Pruning
Little pruning needed. Remove dead leaves and old cones to tidy.
Care
Use a low-phosphorus native fertiliser, if any. Avoid summer watering once established; prone to root rot in wet soil.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Proteaceae
- Order
- Proteales
- Native to
- Western Australia
- Natural range
- Coastal heath of the south coast of Western Australia, around Esperance.
Where to buy
Specialist native nurseries.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Banksia petiolaris on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.