banksia

[ bangk-see-uh ]

noun

1. any Australian shrub or tree of the genus Banksia, having alternate leaves and dense, cylindrical flower heads.

banksia

/ ˈbæŋksɪə /

noun

1. any shrub or tree of the Australian genus Banksia , having long leathery evergreen leaves and dense cylindrical heads of flowers that are often red or yellowish: family Proteaceae See also honeysuckle

Word History and Origins

Origin of banksia¹

1782; < New Latin; named after Sir Joseph Banks; -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of banksia¹

C19: New Latin, named after Sir Joseph Banks

Example Sentences

While the pincushion Protea flower was recognizable from grocery story bouquets, other examples, such as the furry, pinkish teddy bear banksia, seemed straight out of science fiction.

From Washington Post

Cone of a giant banksia: This southwestern Australian native offers up to 4,000 individual flowers at once, all embedded on a long rod sprouting up from the middle of a foliage cluster.

From Scientific American

Bunny tail grass or globe amaranth will lend interesting shapes, and protea and banksia make nice statement options.

From New York Times

He said the bees made nests in yacca trees and in the trunks of dead banksias and he was concerned that fire had burned many of the areas where the insect lives.

From The Guardian

The perennial foliage is beautiful too, with plentiful heath banksia, grevillea, bottlebrush and a stand of slim-limbed eucalypts with lustrous silver bark.

From The Guardian