I visited the Wallum Banksia in one of it’s natural habitats on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) last week. And along with it the many other wildflowers which were opening thier blooms slightly early in the wildflower season. We explored both the Wallum heathlands and the Wallum Woodlands which has been a dream of mine for sometime.

The Wallum Banksia or Banksia aemula dominates much of the Wallum Heathlands, with its distinctive narrow leaf and bronze new growth. This species can growth anywhere from 0.5metres to 10 metres depending on the depth of the soil, the availability of moisture and strength of the wind.

A close relative to the Wallum Banksia is Persoonia virgata or Small Leaved Geebung, this species was growing into a dense medium shrub on the sand dunes with the Wedding Bush.

The wedding Bush Ricinocarpus pinifolius was like nothing I have ever seen before, normally I am happy to spot the occasional small shrub on walks in the Nation Park but here on the Island it was everywhere and growing almost like a small tree.

Boronia rosmarinifolia, another highlight, is a pretty pink-flowering Boronia, one of Australia’s iconic wildflowers. Sparse woody shrub to 1 m tall. Thick rounded, but pointy, leaflet grows in groups of three along the stems. Bright pink to mauve flower with 4 petals grows in bunches at the top of the upright stems and flowers Winter to Spring attracting bees and butterflies.

Five Corners or Styphelia viridis subsp. breviflora was growing as an understorey shrub in both the heathland and woodland forest.

A lovely medium shrub to 1.5 m with Grey-green leaves and intriguing, pale green tubula, translucent flowers from autumn to spring attracting nectar-eating birds.

Walking through the forest to the Blue Lake there was the most stunning under-storey of Xanthorrhoea johnsonii, most of them throwing a flower spike it was exceptionally beautiful.

And last but not least, I spotted my first Flying Duck Orchids! just sitting there on the damp shady side of the walking track. Caleana major is a native Orchid which widespread and usually found forming colonies of only a few plants in sclerophyll forest, coastal or swampy shrub land and heathland. I know these are not the best images of this orchid out there but I was being left behind by my bushwalking party, which is pretty common 😉