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- New Banksia Books published
- Banksia croajingolensis - a new species for eastern Australia
- Dryandra to become Banksia?
Welcome to the Banksia Study Group Website.
The Banksia Study Group is one of about 20 Study Groups within the Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Our aim is to further knowledge about the cultivation, propagation and conservation of members of the genus Banksia. If you are interested in the cultivation, propagation, conservation and appreciation of Australia's native flora, especially banksias, why not consider joining and helping to promote these beautiful plants more widely.
..... a scattering of people keen on growing, cultivating and finding banksias across Australia. A prerequisite for joining the Study Group is membership of one of the Regional branches of our parent body, the Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) - ANPSA. Further information on the Regional branches and membership can be found here.
Membership of the Banksia Study Group is $10 annually ($20 for overseas subscribers), which goes towards the cost of producing 2 or 3 newsletters each financial year with some colour photos not yet published anywhere else.
To join, send a cheque payable to:
Banksia Study Group
PO Box 83
St Pauls' NSW 2031
Banksia is a genus of about 75 species in the Protea family (Proteaceae). All species occur in Australia with one (B.dentata) extending to islands to Australia's north. Banksias can be found in most environments; the tropics, sub-alpine areas, the coast and desert areas. The most diversity in the genus occurs in the south of Western Australia where over 80% of the species occur.
Banksias are very popular plants in cultivation because of their colourful flowers, dramatic foliage and their role in attracting birds to the garden. They are successfully grown in every state and territory of Australia - provided that species are selected that are suited to the environment where they are cultivated. One of the problems faced by growers is the difficulty in successfully growing Western Australian species in areas of the east coast where there are wet, humid summers.
The Banksia Study Group was set up to address this and other issues. Some broad aims of the group are to:
- investigate naturally occurring forms that have horticultural potential
- investigate grafting as a means of extending the range where species can be successfully grown
- investigate any weed potential of species when grown away from their natural environment
- compile cultivation reports for a variety of locations.
From the beginnings of the Study Group in 1971 up until about 2000, ten reports were published documenting the work of the Study Group members. Subsequently, regular newsletters were, and continue to be, published several times per year to record activities and experiences of Group members in cultivating banksias and in keeping up to date on scientific knowledge of the genus.
Two of the early reports are still available and newsletters published over recent years are available for download.
Photographs of almost half of the 75 species of Banksia have been incorporated into the Banksia section of the main ANPSA website. Each photograph is accompanied by a concise plant profile which includes natural distribution, taxonomy, plant description, cultivation and propagation.
ANPSA's Banksia pages also cover the characteristics, cultivation and propagation of banksias generally, and include references to other Banksia resources.
This email discussion group on banksias is not part of the Study Group but a number of Study Group members participate. The email group is open to everyone at the following address:
You will be able to read the discussions but if you want to post or reply to messages, you will need to join the discussion group. If you are not already a member of Yahoo Groups, you will need to sign up first.