What is your favourite Grevillea?

What is your favourite Grevillea?

Spring is upon us and this means plants are fruiting and flowering. This month, we would like to share our Grevilleas with you.

Grevillea is named after Charles Francis Greville who was one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1804. There are over 300 species in the genus, most of which are endemic to Australia but a few species occur in Papua New Guinea and islands to Australia's north. They grow in a few different forms, from spreading ground covers, small shrubs to trees.

Flower colour varies from one species to another and they are wonderful plants to grow to attract birds, butterflies and bees to your garden.

The Botanic Gardens has 10 different Grevillea species and 12 cultivated varieties in the Living Collection. You will find them growing in a number of places in the gardens, including along Lagoon Street in our Australian Showcase Garden. Grevilleas are readily available to purchase from commercial nurseries and grown from time to time by the Mackay branch of Society for Growing Australian Plants (SGAP). Some of our Grevilleas on display are listed here and you can find some of these on display in the gardens.

Did you know?

Grevillea flowers are quite small, but they grow in clusters, which in some species can be 100 or more individual flower altogether!

Grevilleas can be seen flowering throughout the year, winter to spring is certainly popular.

Grevillea pteridifolia, commonly known as Fern Leaf Grevillea is growing in the Brigalow Belt garden.

Grevillea 'Orange Marmalade'

Grevillea ‘Dorothy Gordon’ (cultivar) is growing in the Australian Showcase garden.

Grevillea ‘Ruby Red’ (cultivar) is growing in the Australian Showcase Garden.

Grevillea ‘Ruby Red’ (cultivar) is growing in the Australian Showcase Garden.

Grevillea ‘Flamingo’ is growing in the Australian Showcase Garden.