Banksia ericifolia subsp. ericifolia
Tall shrub to 6 m high; lignotuber absent; bark smooth, becoming corky, grey-brown; branchlets finally glabrescent. Leaves alternate, crowded, linear, c. 1–2 cm long, 0.7–1 mm wide, discolorous, upper surface green, glabrescent, lower surface paler, tomentose; apex truncate, mucronate; margins entire except for a tooth on either side of the apex, revolute; petiole 1–2 mm long. Inflorescence 7–22 cm long, 5–7 cm wide at anthesis. Tepals 19–28 mm long, golden-brown to pale yellow, often mauve at base, hairy, persistent in fruit; style hooked below apex, gold to orange-red, somewhat persistent. Follicles numerous, 13–22 mm long, hirsute; mostly opening with fire. Body of seed body cuneate, 9–10 mm long, wing to c. 20 mm long. Flowers mainly Apr.–Aug.
GipP, OtP. Native to the east coast of New South Wales. Widely grown and occasionally escaping cultivation in Victoria, usually in sandy soils (e.g. Anglesea area, Inverloch).
Hybrids with Banksia spinulosa are also grown.
Spinning
