It is a beautiful small tree, to 9 m tall, with large, dark green leaves and pale to bright yellow flowers massed in large, cylindrical spikes. Plants flower though summer and autumn and into winter. Cones are grey and covered with the short remains of the flowers. Will grow on a variety of soils including sandy loam, clay loam, shale, peaty loam, volcanic and rocky soils such as sandstone, quartzite, granite and limestone. Frost and fire resistant and fast growing compared to other banksias. Tolerant of some short term waterlogging and will grow in heavy clay and moderately alkaline or sandy soils.