Banksia ericifolia 'Golden Girl'

Banksia ericifolia 'Golden Girl'Description: Banksia ericifolia Golden Girl is a compact, upright form of the popular heath leaved banksia, prized for its brilliant golden yellow flower spikes and fine, dense foliage. This Australian native shrub offers a long flowering season and is a magnet for birds and pollinators. With its neat growth habit and striking blooms, Golden Girl is perfect for feature planting, low screening, or native borders in low maintenance gardens. Flowers:

Description:
Banksia ericifolia ‘Golden Girl’ is a compact, upright form of the popular heath-leaved banksia, prized for its brilliant golden-yellow flower spikes and fine, dense foliage. This Australian native shrub offers a long flowering season and is a magnet for birds and pollinators. With its neat growth habit and striking blooms, ‘Golden Girl’ is perfect for feature planting, low screening, or native borders in low-maintenance gardens.

Flowers:
Long, golden-yellow cylindrical flower spikes appear from autumn through spring, sometimes reaching up to 20cm in length. The blooms are rich in nectar and attract honeyeaters, bees, and butterflies.

Foliage:
Fine, needle-like green leaves cover the plant densely, giving it a soft texture and year-round structure. New growth may appear slightly bronze.

Fruit:
Woody cones may develop after flowering and persist on the plant, adding an interesting sculptural element.

Form & Size:
Compact, upright shrub growing approximately 1.5–2m high and 1–1.5m wide.

Growing Conditions:

• Position: Prefers full sun but tolerates part shade.

• Soil: Requires well-drained soil; suitable for sandy, loamy, or gravelly soils. Avoid heavy or waterlogged areas.

• Climate: Performs well in coastal, temperate, and light frost areas.

• Watering: Drought-tolerant once established. Occasional deep watering in prolonged dry periods improves flowering.

Uses:

• Ideal for native borders, low screens, and feature planting.

• Suitable for attracting wildlife to pollinator gardens.

• Works well in coastal and firewise landscaping.

Maintenance:

• Very low-maintenance.

• Light pruning after flowering helps maintain shape and encourages denser growth.

• Feed with a low-phosphorus native fertiliser in spring if required.

Notes:

• Bird and pollinator-friendly.

• Fire-retardant species – excellent for bushfire-prone areas.

• Offers a vibrant, long-lasting colour display in low-maintenance settings.

Companion Plants:
Pairs beautifully with Grevillea, Lomandra, Callistemon, and Leptospermum for a layered and colourful native garden.

Common Name: Golden Girl Banksia
Botanical Name: Banksia ericifolia ‘Golden Girl’
Family: Proteaceae
Origin: Australia (cultivar of B. ericifolia)