Banksia grandisCommon name: Bull Banksia

Meaning of name: Banksia is named after Sir Joseph Banks (1743 – 1820) who collected the first specimens of the genus during Captain Cook’s voyage in 1770. Grandis is a Latin word meaning great, large, tall. This refers to the large leaves.

Aboriginal name: Poolgarla.

Aboriginal use: An infusion of the flowers was used to relieve coughs and colds and as a refreshing drink. The nectar was also sucked straight from the flowers.

Distribution: Occurs on the Coastal Plain and on the Darling Scarp and Range from Jurien Bay to Cape Riche and inland to Katanning.

Description: A tree to 10 metres tall. Large, deeply divided leaves. Large pale yellow flowering cones produced from September to December.

References: Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.

Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.

Leaf & Branch, Trees and Tall Shrubs of Perth. Robert Powell. 1990

Bush Tucker Plants of the South-West. B Daw, T Walley, G Keighery. 1997.

Noongar Bush Medicine, Medicinal Plants of the South-west of Western Australia. Vivienne Hansen & John Horsfall. 2016