{"product_id":"banksia-ericifolia","title":"Banksia ericifolia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBanksia ericifolia\u003c\/em\u003e, the Heath-leaved Banksia, is a dense upright Australian native shrub in the family Proteaceae. Fine needle-like foliage gives it a soft heath-like texture, and from autumn into winter it carries thick cylindrical flower spikes in orange to red, held upright through the outer canopy. Old woody cones stay on the plant afterwards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt grows 2 to 6 metres tall and 2 to 5 metres wide, at roughly 30 to 50 centimetres a year. Full sun, sandy or gravelly soil and free drainage suit it best, and it tolerates poor low-nutrient ground where other shrubs fail. Established plants take light to moderate frost, coastal exposure and extended dry weather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is used for screening at 1 to 1.5 metres apart, windbreaks, bush regeneration, rural property planting and habitat gardens. Winter flowering makes it valuable to honeyeaters at a lean time of year. For projects that need native structure and bird habitat with almost no ongoing watering, it is a reliable specification.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin:44px 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin:0 0 8px;padding-top:32px;border-top:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);text-transform:uppercase;color:currentColor;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 24px;color:currentColor;opacity:0.65;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;\"\u003eAbout Heath-leaved Banksia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat is Banksia ericifolia?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eBanksia ericifolia is an Australian native shrub in the family Proteaceae, found naturally on the sandy heaths of coastal New South Wales. It is called the Heath-leaved Banksia because its short fine leaves resemble those of a heath. Dense growth and large cylindrical flower spikes in orange to red are its defining features.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow big does Heath-leaved Banksia grow?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eIt reaches 2 to 6 metres tall and 2 to 5 metres wide depending on soil, exposure and how often it is pruned. Coastal plants in sandy soil tend to stay lower and denser, while sheltered garden plants run taller. Growth is about 30 to 50 centimetres a year once established.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhen does Banksia ericifolia flower?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eFlowering runs through autumn and winter, generally from March to August, with the spikes opening progressively from the base upward over several weeks. The flowers are orange to red rather than yellow, and mature shrubs can carry dozens at once. Woody seed cones remain on the branches long after flowering ends.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eDoes it attract birds?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eYes, and it is one of the better plants for it. The spikes hold large amounts of nectar right through winter, drawing wattlebirds, New Holland honeyeaters and eastern spinebills. The dense prickly foliage also gives small birds safe nesting and shelter, which is why it is widely used in habitat and regeneration planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a screen?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003ePlant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen. As freestanding feature shrubs, allow 3 to 4 metres so each plant can develop its full spreading shape. In windbreak rows on rural property, 1.5 metres apart in staggered double rows gives the best density at ground level.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs it suitable for coastal positions?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eIt is well suited to coastal gardens and grows naturally on exposed sandy headlands. It tolerates salt wind and poor sandy soil, and stays denser in those conditions than it does inland. Direct salt spray on a front line dune position may burn the foliage tips, so a little shelter helps.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow do I prune and care for Banksia ericifolia?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eTip prune lightly after flowering to keep the shrub dense, cutting into green wood rather than bare stems. Never use a fertiliser containing phosphorus, since members of the Proteaceae are damaged by it, and choose a native blend instead. Water through the first summer, mulch lightly, and keep the mulch off the stem.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Trees Direct","offers":[{"title":"40cm\/45L","offer_id":43498760011975,"sku":"BANERI40CM\/45L\/45L","price":250.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/4945\/4279\/files\/BanksiaEricafolia40cm_4.png?v=1776001577","url":"https:\/\/www.evergreentrees.com.au\/products\/banksia-ericifolia","provider":"Evergreen Trees Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}