Banksia integrifolia 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Banksia integrifolia Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Banksia integrifolia Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Coast Banksia

Banksia integrifolia

£16.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
9cm / 0.5L £16.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Banksia integrifolia, the coast banksia, is Australia's gift to the British seaside garden: the hardiest banksia in cultivation, wearing leaves of deep green flashed silver-white beneath, and lighting up autumn and winter with pale lemon flower candles packed with nectar. On a breezy day the whole canopy shimmers two-tone.

It grows on exposed dunes in the wild, so salt, gales and poor sandy soil are home comforts rather than hazards. Established plants take around -8C, which we rate honestly as H3: mild, coastal and sheltered gardens suit it best, with young plants fleeced through their first winters.

How and where to grow

  • Position: full sun; thrives in exposure and salt wind.
  • Soil: acid to neutral, sandy, sharply drained, low in phosphorus; never feed with standard fertiliser.
  • Size: to 3-5 m here over many years; prunes lightly after flowering.
  • Hardiness: H3, around -8C established.

It is the backbone tree for an Australian corner: underplant with Grevillea juniperina and callistemons, or set it against the silvers of a coastal planting. The nectar-rich candles also earn it a place among our plants for pollinators and the wider hardy exotics range.

Healthy young plants in 9 cm pots, the ideal size to establish. Winter care is covered in our seasonal expectations guide.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Coast Banksia

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Coast Banksia

Banksia integrifolia needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Semi-Hardy (H3): down to around −5°C. Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

The hardiest banksia in cultivation: established plants take around -8C. We rate it H3 for honesty. Best in mild, coastal or sheltered gardens; protect young plants for their first winters. Read moreShow less

The hardiest banksia in cultivation: established plants take around -8C. We rate it H3 for honesty. Best in mild, coastal or sheltered gardens; protect young plants for their first winters.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered
Full sun; superb in exposed, windy and salty positions once established. Read moreShow less

Full sun; superb in exposed, windy and salty positions once established.

Soil

SandLoamWell-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Acid to neutral, sandy, sharply drained and LOW in phosphorus. Never feed with standard fertilisers; use low-P native mixes only. Read moreShow less

Acid to neutral, sandy, sharply drained and LOW in phosphorus. Never feed with standard fertilisers; use low-P native mixes only.

Watering

Water to establish in the first summer, then rely on rainfall. Established plants are very drought tolerant. Read moreShow less

Water to establish in the first summer, then rely on rainfall. Established plants are very drought tolerant.

Mature size

Height3-5 m (UK)
Spread2-3 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Sep-Jan · Yellow, Cream

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Tip back lightly after flowering to keep it dense; avoid cutting into bare old wood.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets.

Native range

E. Australia

Family

Proteaceae

Also known as

Banksia integrifolia

Genus

Banksia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Banksia integrifolia hardy in the UK?

It is the toughest of all banksias, taking around -8C once established, and mature trees grow happily outdoors in mild and coastal Britain. We rate it H3: give it shelter and sharp drainage inland, and fleece young plants in their first winters. Our seasonal expectations guide explains our honest ratings.

Why must banksias not be fed normal fertiliser?

Like all Proteaceae, banksia roots are adapted to phosphorus-poor soils and ordinary feeds can poison them. Use no fertiliser at all, or a specialist low-phosphorus native mix. This is the single most important rule of banksia growing.

When does the coast banksia flower?

From late summer into winter: pale lemon, bottlebrush-like candles packed with nectar, against leaves that flash silver-white beneath. In Australia they feed honeyeaters; here they are a magnet for late bees.

Is it good for coastal gardens?

Outstanding: it grows on beach dunes in the wild, so salt-laden wind that shreds other exotics simply polishes it. One of the best choices in our coastal and exposed collection.

How do I grow Banksia integrifolia from a 9 cm plant?

Pot it on through ericaceous, gritty mixes without feed, keep it in sun, and plant out once it fills a 2 or 3 litre pot. Young plants grow away quickly and can reach flowering size in a few years. It pairs naturally with Grevillea juniperina in an Australian corner.

Can I grow a banksia in a pot?

Yes, for several years: use an ericaceous, very gritty mix with no added feed, a deep pot, and full sun. Pot culture also lets colder gardens shelter it in winter alongside our other plants for pots.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Banksia integrifolia
£16.99