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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Proteaceae (Proteas) |
| Origin: Australia (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Cream |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Height: 6-8 feet |
| Width: 6-8 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Banksia caleyi (Red Lantern Banksia) - A bushy low branching shrub to 6 feet all gray bark and wedge shaped 4 to 5 inch long leaves with irregularly prickly toothed margins that are dark green on the upper surface and gray below and with new growth slightly hairy. The flowers appear from late spring to early summer and deep maroon red in bud light to pink-red as they open. The flowers are unusual in that they are pendant on older wood inside the shrub or near the base of the plant, which is thought to be a pollination strategy for attracting small ground dwelling marsupials. Plant in full to part sun to a well drained soil. Is tolerant of sandy soil, clay soils, salt and alkaline conditions, so long as the soil drains well, and it is noted as growing well under Eucalyptus and near the beach. It is hardy to frost and has withstood temperatures at Australian Native Plant Nursery down to 25° F and to around 19°F at the Australian National Botanic Garden in Canberra. Banksia caleyi has proven to be a tough low maintenance shrub in California gardens and is useful as a specimen shrub or as a screen or small windbreak, with flowers that attract bees, nectar feeding birds and butterflies, and are useful as cut flowers. In its natural habitat it is found south and east of the Stirling Ranges through to the vicinity of Jerramungup, where it grows in areas that are subject to periodic fires. Though it is non-lignotuberous and does not reprout after a fire, it regenerates from seed afterwards. It was first described by Scottish naturalist Robert Brown in 1830 and named to honor the English explorer and plant collector George Caley (1775-1825), who sent many plant specimens to Joseph Banks at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. This plant was being grown in England as early as 1830 and made its way into cultivation in California by the 1940s. We thank Jo O'Connell at Australian Native Plants nursery for turning us onto this species and for use of the picture that accompanies this information.
This information about Banksia caleyi displayed on this web page is based on research we have conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations we have made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how our crops have performed in containers in the nursery field. Where appropriate, we will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.
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