[Fermi]

We've been trying to grow as many of the smaller banksias as possible in our garden.
Here are two of the prostrate ones,
Banksia petiolaris with long leathery, serrated foliage
Banksia gardneri ssp hiemalis with fern-like foliage with lovely indumentum as they emerge,
cheers
fermi

[Alisdair]

Very encouraging, Fermi! We've had very poor results trying to germinate Banksia seed that we brought back from Australia a year ago, even following recommendations carefully, but your pictures stop me from giving up hope!

[Fermi]

Alisdair,
I have to confess that we bought these as seedlings so didn't do the germinating ourselves,
This is one that has done well for many years, though one in another spot snuffed it after a few years!
Banksia blechnifolia,
cheers
fermi

[David Feix]

The B. blechnifolia is a fabulous species, and a favorite of mine for mixed container plantings. The new foliage is so soft and fern-like with lovely soft pink coloring. The growth habit is rather distinctive as well, as this one is a ground cover that forms rhizomes along the ground. It combines beautifully with succulents such as Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' and Anigozanthus flavidus.

The University of California at Santa Cruz Botanic Garden has an excellent collection of many species of Banksia, which thrive on the nutrient poor marine terrace sandstone soils of the campus, right next to our native Quercus agrifolia and Sequoia sempervirens.