Overview - Coast banksia is an open tree or large shrub with smooth-edged leaves when mature, and heads of pale yellow flowers. In some forms, the leaf edges are wavy. Coast banksia is an attractive shrub or tree with upright, cylindrical heads of pale yellow flowers, suitable for coastal planting in frost-free, temperate areas. Flowering occurs from April to September, and sporadically at other times. Several distinct subspecies are recognized, the most renowned being the coast banksia.
Although the species itself is not threatened, one of its subspecies (integrifolia) is presumed extinct in Tasmania, possibly as a result of heavy grazing and burning.
Environment - The Coast Banksia is native to Eastern Australia, coast banksia grows on coastal hills and in scrub down to sea level. Coast banksia has one the largest ecological ranges of all the Banksia species (of which there are more than 70).
Challenges - There are many challenges that threaten the survival of the Banksia, although it has adapted around the fire hazard, excess fire is never good and hence will burn out the Banksia. Excess rainfall is another problem that the banksia faces, due to the rain flooding the roots of the plant and pushing out the even ratio of sunlight to water. Also, excess rain can lead to rising sea levels, due to the Coast Banksia being close to the coast of many beaches if the water were to rise then it would consume the Banksia sending it plummeting into the water in some cases. Soil Erosion also effects this plant - It is when the soil underneath the plant becomes loose, giving way and potentially destroying the plant in the process.
Adaptations - Due to the Banksia living in bushfire prone areas around Australia it is significant that it develops a way to survive this disaster, hence over time the Banksia developed a way to withstand and overcome the threat of fires, some banksias will not shed their seeds unless there is a fire, Additionally, it is almost impossible to remove them from the plant because they are held in hard woody two-valved capsules. But as the flames scorch the branches, the intense heat causes the capsules to open. By releasing their seeds only in the wake of a fire, the banksias ensure that they will fall on well-cleaned, brightly-lit ground recently fertilised with ash so that they can grow into a new banksia in a short amount of time. The Banksia has developed this adaptation so that in case of a bush-fire the species will not be completely wiped out, hence why they exist to this very day.
The Banksia has also developed thick barky and corky wood as an adaptation to the intense fire as well as developing a lignotuber, or woody, underground root which will withstand quite intense fire.