Banksia media

Native to southwestern Western Australia, this evergreen shrub or small tree usually grows about 13 feet tall, with low-growing coastal forms also found in the wild. Its cylindrical yellow flower spikes turn rusty brown as they age. In Australia, flowering extends from early winter into spring. Honeyeater birds, nectar-feeding marsupials, and insects contribute to pollination, although the flowers can also self-pollinate. Seeds remain enclosed in woody cones until fire releases them. Mature plants are killed by bushfires, so populations recover from seed rather than resprouting. It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.