Banksia menziesii, also known as firewood banksia, is a shrub or medium sized tree with grey bark, toothed leaves and relatively small, red or yellow flowers. It is found along the coast of Western Australia between Shark Bay in north and Perth in south. They are most attractive in late bud, the styles  contrasting well to the body of the inflorescence, the whole looking like a red- or pink-and white vertical candy striped bloom. The inflorescences are generally a deeper red after colder weather and further into the winter. Anthocyanin pigments are responsible for the red and pink shades in the flowers. Where anthocyanin pigments are responsible for the color, intensity may vary with temperature and thus with season and location. Selection for color stable variants is an important aim of banksia menziesii improvement. The colour and level of pigmentation in the seeds foreshadows the eventual colour of the inflorescences. Seeds that grow into yellow-flowered plants are pale and unpigmented, while future bronze- and red-flowered plants are dark greyish and black respectively.