The middle of autumn is normally a quiet time for flowers, and this year’s ongoing dryness has particularly discouraged new growth. However our one indigenous banksia – Silver Banksia, Banksia marginata – is worth a close look. It is displaying flowerheads at all stages of development, ranging from young, thin, greenish yellow ones to fully developed fuzzy yellow flowers, and last season’s woody brown cones.
Silver Banksia
Also look out for flowers on low-growing bushes of our red Correa. Until recently we thought they were all Common Correa, Correa Reflexa var. reflexa, but we now realise that they are usually Eastern Correa, C. Reflexa var. speciosa. Check out the direction the leaves face at the base of the flowers. On the Eastern Correa the paired leaves fan out; on the Common Correa they bend down and may clasp the base of the tubular flower.
Eastern Correa
Common Correa
Or just enjoy the delightful, dangling tubular brilliant red flowers.
Ellinor Campbell