Swamp Banksia

Banksia littoralis is a tree that typically grows up to around 1.5 to 12 m (4 ft 11 in to 39 ft 4 in), sometimes to 25 m (82 ft), with rough, crumbly bark and woolly-hairy stems. The leaves are arranged in whorls and are linear in shape, usually serrated in the upper half, 70–230 mm (2.8–9.1 in) long and 4–18 mm (0.16–0.71 in) wide on a petiole 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The flowers are arranged on a cylindrical head 70–200 mm (2.8–7.9 in) long and 60–70 mm (2.4–2.8 in) wide when the flowers open. The flowers are yellow with a perianth 25–27 mm (0.98–1.06 in) long and a hooked pistil 29–35 mm (1.1–1.4 in) long. Flowering occurs from March to July and the follicles are broadly linear to narrow elliptical, 11–22 mm (0.4–0.9 in) long, 2.5–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) high and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide, the old flowers having fallen. There are sometimes up to two hundred follicles in each head.

Swamp banksia is found in coastal areas of southwestern Western Australia, including the Wheatbelt, Peel, South West and Great Southern regions, where it is often situated along creeks and rivers, in low-lying, seasonally damp areas like swamps and depressions, where it grows well in high moisture peaty to sandy soils. It is often part of low woodland communities and often is associated with Melaleuca preissiana and also in Eucalyptus gomphocephala forest communities, but rarely is it found as a part of low coastal kwongan communities. The range extends from around Mount Lesueur in the north to around Cape Leeuwin in the southwest, extending east to around Two Peoples Bay and the Stirling Range.

Banksia littoralis is relatively easy to grow. It is possibly not as sensitive to dieback as other western banksias. Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 20 to 36 days to germinate.