(Seed Grown)
If you're here looking for a plant that whispers subtlety, probably best to keep surfing. Banksia grandis does not do understated. With enormous, leathery leaves, chunky golden flower spikes, and a trunk covered in thick, corky bark that looks like it belongs on a tree designed for surviving dinosaur attacks, this Western Australian native has serious presence.
 
The flowers are spectacular, but the seed pods might steal the show—looking like something designed by a very enthusiastic carpenter with a fascination for duck bills. Tough, long-lived, and built for dry summers.
 
Flower Color: Gold/Yellow
Bloomtime: Fall-Winter
Height: 8-12 feet
Width: 6-8 feet
Exposure: Sun
Soil Type: Good to decent drainage
Cold Tolerance: 24-26f
Irrigation requirements: Low to Medium