Description:

A large, upright shrub presenting narrow, dark green leaves with silvery undersides; magnificent, candle-like golden cones with red styles in winter, persist into spring and summer; a drought and frost tolerant plant that does well in coastal environments

Ornamental Features

Fireworks Heath Banksia features showy spikes of gold pincushion flowers with orange overtones and red anthers along the branches from mid winter to mid summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has dark green foliage with silver undersides. The tiny narrow leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. The smooth gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Fireworks Heath Banksia is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Fireworks Heath Banksia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Windbreaks and Shelterbelts
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Fireworks Heath Banksia will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.