Old man banksia fact sheet – wadanggari | Field of Mars EEC

What are old man banksias?

Old man banksias are native Australian shrubs or trees in the plant family Proteaceae. Their scientific name is Banksia serrata. They grow along eastern Australia, including coastal areas, dry sclerophyll forests, sandstone ranges and Sydney bushland. Banksia is recorded in Dharug language as wadanggari.

Old man banksias are easy to recognise by their rough, wrinkled grey-brown bark, gnarled branches and shiny green leaves with saw-toothed edges. From summer to early autumn they produce large cream to yellow-green flower spikes made from many small flowers. After pollination, the flower spikes develop hard woody follicles that hold the seeds.

A banksia serrata leaf.

Old man banksia flower spikes are made from many small flowers that can provide nectar for animals.

Where do old man banksias grow?

Old man banksias grow along eastern Australia, from Queensland through NSW to Victoria, with populations also recorded around Bass Strait and northern Tasmania. In NSW they are found along the coast, in dry sclerophyll forests and on sandstone ranges.

They often grow in well-drained, nutrient-poor sandy soils, including coastal dunes and sandstone bushland. In Sydney, old man banksias are part of dry eucalypt forest and woodland communities, including bushland such as Field of Mars Reserve.

Old man banksias grow in Sydney sandstone bushland, including Field of Mars Reserve.

How are old man banksias used by Aboriginal Peoples?

Banksia is recorded in Dharug language as wadanggari. This name helps show that banksias are part of the cultural knowledge, language and Country of Aboriginal Peoples in the Sydney region.

Some Aboriginal Peoples used nectar-rich banksia flowers as a sweet food source. In parts of Australia, banksia flowers were placed in water so the nectar could dissolve and make a sweet drink.

Because plant use varies between places, language groups and families, this information should be understood as part of broader Aboriginal knowledge about banksias rather than as a single use shared by all Aboriginal Peoples.

Old man banksia shrubs produce large flower spikes that provide nectar.

What animals use old man banksias?

Old man banksia flower spikes produce nectar and pollen that can attract honeyeaters, wattlebirds, rainbow lorikeets, native bees, beetles and other insects. Some mammals, including possums, gliders, bush rats, antechinus and flying foxes, may visit banksia flowers and help move pollen between plants.

Yellow-tailed black cockatoos can feed on banksia seed pods. Old man banksias also provide perches, shelter, camouflage, web attachment points and leaf litter habitat for smaller animals.

Yellow-tailed black cockatoos can feed on old man banksia seed pods.

What is the life cycle of old man banksias?

Old man banksias grow from seeds. Mature plants produce flower spikes from summer to early autumn. Birds, insects and small mammals can move pollen between flowers as they feed on nectar and pollen. After pollination, the old flower spike develops woody follicles that protect the seeds.

The follicles can stay closed on the plant for a long time. Heat from fire can help them split open and release winged seeds onto the ground. Seeds may also be released when cones become very dry or when parts of the plant are stressed or dying. New seedlings need time to grow into mature plants, so fires that happen too often can reduce successful regeneration.

Closed old man banksia follicles protect seeds until conditions help trigger release.

Open old man banksia follicles release seeds after heat, dryness or plant stress.

What adaptations do old man banksias have to help them survive?

Old man banksias are adapted to dry, nutrient-poor soils. Their tough leaves can reduce water loss and make them harder for herbivores to eat. Their specialised cluster roots help them absorb nutrients from poor sandy soils.

They are also adapted to fire. Thick bark helps protect living tissue beneath the surface, and epicormic buds under the bark can produce new shoots after fire. Heat can also help open the woody follicles, releasing seeds into open, ash-enriched ground where seedlings may have less competition.

After fire, old man banksias can resprout from epicormic buds protected beneath the bark.

Why are old man banksias important?

Old man banksias are important food plants in Sydney bushland. Their flower spikes provide nectar and pollen for birds, insects and mammals, while their seed pods can provide food for yellow-tailed black cockatoos.

They also add structure to eucalypt forest and sandstone woodland habitats. Their branches, bark, leaves, old cones and fallen litter create shelter and hunting places for small animals. Their roots help hold sandy soils together, and their leaves and woody material add organic matter to the forest floor as they break down.

Old man banksias create shelter and hunting places for small animals.

How can you help old man banksias?

You can help old man banksias by staying on tracks, observing plants without picking flowers, leaves or seed cones, and leaving fallen cones and leaf litter in place for wildlife. Take photos, make drawings and learn to identify local native plants without damaging them.

Protect bushland by keeping dogs on leads where required, cleaning shoes and equipment after walking through weedy areas, and joining local bushcare activities. In gardens near suitable bushland, choose locally appropriate native plants from reputable nurseries rather than collecting seeds or plant parts from reserves.

Protecting old man banksias helps conserve native plants that provide food and habitat for wildlife.

Related fact sheets

More plant fact sheets

• Plant fact sheets – Explore more native plant fact sheets from Field of Mars EEC.
• Hairpin banksia fact sheet – Compare another local banksia species that supports nectar-feeding animals.
• Scribbly gum fact sheet – Learn about another tree found in Sydney sandstone bushland.
• Grass tree fact sheet – Explore another fire-adapted plant that provides nectar and habitat.
• Bracken fern fact sheet – Learn about a fern that grows in dry forest and woodland habitats.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – Explore the local bushland where old man banksias grow.
• Eucalypt forest fact sheet – Learn about the forest ecosystem that supports banksias and many animals.
• Tree habitats fact sheet – Find out how trees provide food, shelter and nesting places.
• Shrub habitats fact sheet – Explore how woody plants provide nectar, seeds, shelter and hunting places.
• Leaf litter habitats fact sheet – Learn how fallen leaves and plant material create habitat and recycle nutrients.

Animals that use this habitat

• Yellow-tailed black cockatoo fact sheet – A large cockatoo that can feed on banksia seed pods.
• Rainbow lorikeet fact sheet – A nectar-feeding bird that visits flowering trees and shrubs.
• Red wattlebird fact sheet – A honeyeater that feeds from nectar-rich flowers.
• Grey-headed flying fox fact sheet – A native mammal that feeds on nectar, pollen and fruit.
• Common ringtail possum fact sheet – A tree-dwelling mammal that uses bushland plants for food and shelter.
• Common brushtail possum fact sheet – A nocturnal mammal that uses trees, hollows and flowering plants.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Insects fact sheet – Learn about pollinators, herbivores and other invertebrates that use native plants.

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