Swamp Banksia

Swamp Banksias are an easy-to-grow, large tree with showy yellow to orange flowers.

For information on staying waterwise, seeking a watering exemption while establishing your garden, offers, rebates and more, please visit the Water Corporation website.

Noongar Name: Pungura

Scientific Name: Banksia littoralis

Performance: Easy to grow

Size: Large tree with a maximum height up to 20m

Flower: Yellow to orange

Flowering Time: Bunuru – Djilba (Mar – Aug)

Natural Distribution: Grows locally in the Perth region

: Banksia littoralis (CC BY-NC 4.0) overlander

: Banksia littoralis (CC BY-NC 4.0) David McCorquodale

: Banksia littoralis 1 – Friends of Queens Park

Growing at a Glance

See Growing Guide for more detail

Position: Adaptable to sunny and light-shade positions

Watering: Will benefit from occasional summer watering.

Feeding: Fertiliser not required.

Pruning: Generally not needed.

Waterwise Listing

Growing Guide

Ideal Position

Swamp Banksia is versatile, enjoying a range of positions. Suitable for denser plantings and will perform well in full sun or light shade.

Swamp Banksia is ideally placed at the back of your garden bed.

When to Plant and Watering

Plant young seedlings in Djeran (mid-Autumn) prior to the Makuru rains (Winter). Avoid planting in the hottest times of the year.
Seedlings should be watered twice a week over their first summer in the garden. It is important to ensure water penetrates down into the root-zone.
We recommend using a soil wetting agent as Perth soils are often ‘water repellent’, or do not absorb water effectively.
A layer of composted, coarse mulch can help in getting your garden started. It will help by reducing water loss and suppressing the growth of weeds.

Swamp Banksia generally have low water requirements but will benefit from deep-watering in summer.
Deep-water by applying about 3L per plant once a fortnight, increasing to weekly intervals during heatwaves.
For best results, use a wetting agent to ensure water penetrates the soil effectively.

Swamp Banksia should be grouped with other plants which benefit from occasional summer watering.

Feeding and Soil Care

Swamp Banksia don’t need fertiliser because they are adapted to grow in our local soils, which are typically low in nutrients.
Plants will benefit from adding some vegetable-based compost (avoid those with manure) into the soil at planting.
As your garden develops, practice ‘cut and drop’ when you prune your plants. The leaf and branch material that falls to the ground slowly breaks down over time, releasing nutrients to help your garden to grow.

How to Prune

Swamp Banksia generally don’t need pruning for shape, as their natural growth is usually attractive and/or interesting.
If part of the plant dies or grows in an undesired direction, prune from the base of the stem in question with a pair of secateurs or loppers.
You can also leave dead leaves and branches on the plant, as they provide valuable habitat and camouflage for insects.

Pruning trees of this size is a specialised skill. We recommend engaging a reputable tree surgeon for any pruning needs