How to grow grevilleas: the right variety for your climate zone
With over 350 species and hundreds of cultivars, grevilleas are one of Australia's most versatile garden plants. They range from ground covers to large trees, flowering in every colour from cream to deep burgundy. Almost all attract nectar-feeding birds, many flower for the better part of the year and the best chosen options are low maintenance once established.
The key word is chosen. Grevilleas are famously climate-specific. This guide covers options for Australia's six major climate zones, alongside tips for soil, feeding, pruning and troubleshooting.
The most important rule: Root rot caused by waterlogged soil is the single most common cause of grevillea death. Before planting, test your drainage by digging a 30cm hole with a planting spade, filling it with water and checking whether it drains within an hour. If it doesn't, plant into a raised mound or a pot.
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Cool temperate
Cool temperate gardeners have many grevillea options. The key is selecting species from the high-country and tableland flora of south-eastern Australia, or hybrids bred specifically for frost hardiness. Avoid WA species which may tolerate the first winter or two but will decline over time.
Royal Grevillea (Grevillea victoriae)
Royal grevillea is a large, spreading shrub to around 2.5m × 3m that produces pendant clusters of rich orange-red flowers from autumn through winter and into spring when most other plants in the cool temperate garden have gone quiet. It handles hard frosts, dry summers and moderate snow cover. Prune lightly after flowering with bypass secateurs to maintain a tidy form.
Grevillea 'Deua Gold'
A compact hybrid to around 1.2m × 1.5m that earns its place in cool temperate gardens through sheer reliability. 'Deua Gold' produces apricot-yellow toothbrush flowers over a long season and tolerates both frost and dry summer conditions. It is one of the few grevilleas that will cope with the combination of cold winters and clay soils, provided the surface drainage is good.
Fact Box
Grevillea 'Deua Gold'Grevillea 'Poorinda Royal Mantle'
One of the toughest and most reliable grevillea ground covers available, 'Poorinda Royal Mantle' spreads to 4–6m while remaining only 20–30cm tall, making it outstanding for covering large areas, suppressing weeds and spilling over retaining walls. It produces red toothbrush flowers year-round and handles hard frost, dry summers and the clay soils common across cool temperate Victoria. Few plants of any kind provide such reliable, low-maintenance coverage across the difficult conditions of the cool temperate garden.
Cool temperate planting tip: Plant grevilleas in autumn in cool temperate regions so they establish a root system before their first summer. A generous layer of coarse wood chip mulch protects shallow roots from frost and moderates soil temperature through both winter cold and summer heat. Avoid planting in frost pockets where cold air settles; a gently sloping site with good air drainage is ideal.
Warm temperate
Warm temperate gardens have the widest grevillea palette of any climate zone. The range of suitable species spans everything from compact ground covers to large canopy trees. This is the climate zone where the classic hybrid cultivars Robyn Gordon and Superb were developed and perform at their best.
Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon'
The most widely planted grevillea cultivar in Australia and half a century after its introduction, still one of the best. 'Robyn Gordon' (G. banksii × G. bipinnatifida) produces large, rich red flowers almost continuously and forms a dense, rounded shrub to around 1.5m × 2m that suits hedging, screening and mass planting. Its consistency across a wide range of soils and conditions made it the benchmark against which subsequent cultivars are still measured. One important note: 'Robyn Gordon' can cause contact dermatitis reactions so wear gardening gloves when pruning.
Grevillea 'Superb'
Another hybrid of G. banksii × G. bipinnatifida, 'Superb' has large, coral-pink and yellow flowers that appear reliably on a dense shrub reaching 1.5–2m. It is slightly more tolerant of humidity than its sibling, making it a better choice for coastal warm temperate gardens in areas with summer rainfall.
Grevillea 'Moonlight'
'Moonlight' is a large, vigorous cultivar (G. banksii × G. whiteana) reaching 4–6m that produces spectacular long, cream-white flowers year-round. It is one of the few large grevilleas with white flowers. It performs reliably across warm temperate and subtropical conditions, tolerates coastal exposure and moderate drought once established. It is not a tree for small gardens, but for larger blocks where year-round screening, wildlife habitat and genuine stature are the goal, few cultivars come close.
Pruning grevilleas: Prune immediately after the main flowering flush cutting back by up to one-third with sharp, clean bypass secateurs. Never cut back into old, leafless wood as most grevilleas cannot regenerate from bare stems. Follow up with a light tip prune six to eight weeks later to encourage a dense re-flush. For larger shrubs, use loppers on any stem thicker than a finger. Visit our native plant pruning guide for more detail.
Subtropical
Subtropical gardeners face a specific challenge with grevilleas: the combination of summer heat, high humidity and summer rainfall. The most reliable performers in this zone are either local species from Queensland's rainforest margins and ranges, or hybrid species that handle the wet season.
Grevillea 'Honey Gem'
'Honey Gem' is one of the finest large grevilleas for subtropical gardens and equally at home in tropical gardens, where its tolerance of the wet-dry seasonal cycle and sustained heat makes it just as reliable. It produces large, spectacular orange flowers throughout the year on a dense, fast-growing shrub that can be maintained at 2–3m or allowed to develop into a small tree to around 5m. Honeyeaters visit it almost constantly when it is in flower, making it one of the most wildlife-valuable plants in the subtropics.
Grevillea 'Fireworks'
A striking compact cultivar with bright red and yellow spider flowers that appear in autumn and spring, with lighter flowering between. 'Fireworks' forms a dense upright to rounded shrub to around 1.5–2m. It is worth noting that it also performs reliably in arid and semi-arid conditions, handling hard winter frosts and prolonged summer heat.
Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon'
'Sandra Gordon' is one of the most spectacular large grevilleas in cultivation. It's a fast-growing shrub to small tree reaching 5–8m that produces rich golden-yellow flowers year-round with peaks in autumn and spring. It is a Queensland cultivar well suited to subtropical conditions, handling summer humidity, coastal exposure and the wet-dry seasonal cycle. It can be maintained as a large screening shrub with annual pruning or allowed to develop into a small multi-stemmed tree for larger gardens.
Fact Box
Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon'Tropical
The tropics are home to some of Australia's most spectacular grevilleas, particularly the large-flowered species of northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. These plants evolved alongside monsoonal rainfall, sustained heat and dry season drought, making them genuinely adapted to conditions that many temperate grevilleas cannot tolerate.
Golden Grevillea or Fern Leaf Grevillea (Grevillea pteridifolia)
The Golden grevillea is a tall, open shrub to small tree reaching 4–8m, producing extraordinary cascades of deep gold-orange toothbrush flowers through the dry season. It provides critical nectar for honeyeaters at a time when other food sources are scarce. It requires full sun, excellent drainage and the reliable dry season of the tropics.
Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fact Box
Golden Grevillea (Grevillea pteridifolia)Grevillea 'Big Foot' (Grevillea banksii)
'Big Foot' is a dense, mounding shrub to around 1.5–2m that produces spectacular large red-orange toothbrush flowers over a long season. The banksii parentage means it handles tropical heat, humidity and coastal conditions with ease. The generous nectar makes it outstanding for honeyeaters and rainbow lorikeets. It is frost tender and suited to the tropical north and subtropical Queensland, where it is one of the most reliable and rewarding grevilleas available.
Rock Grevillea (Grevillea heliosperma)
The Rock Grevillea is a slender, spreading shrub to small tree reaching 3–8m, producing showy red to deep pink flowers through the dry season. Native to open woodlands, escarpments and rocky ridges across the northern Kimberley, Top End and western Gulf of Carpentaria, it is perfectly adapted to the monsoonal wet-dry cycle and requires well-drained sandy or loamy soils in full sun. The seeds are edible and have long been used as bush food by First Nations communities across northern Australia.
Tatiana Gerus from Brisbane, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fact Box
Rock Grevillea (Grevillea heliosperma)
Arid and semi-arid
Australia's arid interior is home to some of the most extraordinary grevilleas in the genus, many of which remain barely known in cultivation. The challenge for arid zone gardeners is not finding species that tolerate drought — virtually all native grevilleas will once established — but finding those that also tolerate sharp overnight frosts combined with extreme summer heat.
Grevillea 'Bronze Rambler'
The toughest and most widely planted grevillea ground cover in Australia. 'Bronze Rambler' spreads to 3–5m but remains only 30–50cm tall, suppressing weeds and providing year-round red and yellow flowers even in the most exposed sites. It tolerates drought, hard frost, alkaline soils, coastal winds and the temperature extremes of inland Australia with equal indifference.
Grevillea 'Pink Profusion'
A compact, mounding shrub to around 1–1.5m that produces masses of candy pink and yellow cylindrical flowers essentially year-round. 'Pink Profusion' handles frost, drought, heat and alkaline soils and suits use as a low hedge, mass planting or garden border. It responds well to a light annual clip with garden shears after the main spring flush.
Grevillea 'Canterbury Gold'
A low, spreading shrub to around 1–1.5m in height and up to 3–4m wide, 'Canterbury Gold' (G. victoriae × G. juniperina) produces butter-yellow spider flowers year-round with peaks in winter and spring. It is among the most frost and drought hardy of all grevillea cultivars and handles the extreme temperature swings of inland Australia, alkaline soils and extended dry periods. The soft grey-green foliage is dense and weed-suppressing, making it excellent for large areas, embankments and roadsides.
Watering grevilleas through establishment: Even drought-tolerant grevilleas need consistent watering for their first two summers. Water deeply once or twice a week after planting, then gradually reduce frequency as the plant establishes. A terracotta olla buried beside the plant delivers water directly to the root zone without wetting foliage, which reduces fungal disease risk. Once established, most grevilleas require no supplemental irrigation except during extended heatwaves.
Mediterranean and south-west WA
The south-west of Western Australia is the epicentre of grevillea diversity. More than half of all grevillea species are endemic to WA. The key challenge for Perth gardeners is the often alkaline, limestone-derived soils of the coastal plain, which can cause iron deficiency in many grevilleas.
Grevillea 'Coastal Sunset'
A compact to medium shrub bred specifically for coastal and limestone garden conditions, 'Coastal Sunset' produces rich apricot-orange toothbrush flowers over a long season and tolerates the alkaline sands and coastal winds of the Perth area with ease. It reaches around 1–1.5m in height and spreads generously, making it suitable as a ground cover, low screen or feature shrub in the front garden. It is drought hardy once established and requires only an annual prune with bypass secateurs after flowering to keep it tidy and productive.
Fact Box
Grevillea 'Coastal Sunset'Spider-Net Grevillea (Grevillea thelemanniana)
One of WA's most beloved native shrubs, the Spider-Net Grevillea produces a spectacular display of red, pink and yellow spider flowers over a long winter and spring season. It forms a dense, spreading shrub to around 1–1.5m × 2m with fine, divided foliage. It is adapted to the sandy, well-drained soils of south-western WA and performs best in Mediterranean climates. It does not appreciate summer irrigation and should be planted in a position where it receives no overhead watering during the dry months.
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fact Box
Spider-Net Grevillea (Grevillea thelemanniana)Grevillea 'Red Coral'
A vigorous ground cover hybrid (G. nivea × G. variifolia) with beautiful silvery-grey, ferny foliage and rich red toothbrush flowers through winter and spring. 'Red Coral' spreads broadly to 2–3m while remaining low, making it excellent for covering slopes, embankments and large areas of poor ground. It suits alkaline and sandy soils and coastal positions and the striking foliage provides year-round interest even when not in flower.
Soil and planting
Excellent drainage is the non-negotiable requirement for all grevilleas. Before planting, improve drainage by mounding the soil 10–15 cm above surrounding level, working a small amount of coarse sand through clay soils, or choosing a raised garden bed. Use a sturdy garden fork to loosen compacted soil in the planting area. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and no deeper, backfill with the excavated soil. Mulch generously after planting.
Feeding
Grevilleas are highly sensitive to phosphorus. Never use standard fertilisers, compost containing poultry manure, mushroom compost or blood and bone. Apply a low-phosphorus slow-release native fertiliser once in spring only. For more on feeding natives safely, see our guide on natural fertiliser for Australian native gardens.
Pruning
Prune grevilleas immediately after the main flowering flush, cutting back by no more than one-third and never into bare, leafless old wood. Use sharp bypass secateurs for stems up to 1.5 cm diameter and loppers for anything thicker. A light tip prune six to eight weeks after the main prune encourages a dense re-flush of growth and maximises the following season's flowering.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowing leaves with green veins | Iron deficiency. This is usually triggered by phosphorus toxicity or alkaline soil conditions. | Apply iron chelate to the root zone. Review all fertilisers used in the area. Even small quantities of phosphorus can trigger this. Switch to a low-phosphorus native fertiliser. |
| Sudden collapse or rapid dieback | Root rot caused by Cinnamon Fungus. Waterlogged or poorly drained soil is almost always responsible. | The plant is unlikely to recover. Remove it entirely, including as much root material as possible. Do not replant a grevillea in the same spot without significantly improving drainage first. Mound the soil, add coarse sand or choose a different location. |
| Sparse or no flowering | Insufficient sunlight, no post-flowering prune, or the plant is too young to flower heavily. | Ensure the plant receives at least half a day of direct sun. Prune hard by up to one-third immediately after the main flush. Most grevilleas take two to three seasons to reach peak flowering performance after planting. |
| Leggy, open or straggly growth | Insufficient light, no pruning history, or an older plant that has never been shaped. | Begin a two-year renovation program. Cut back by one-third in year one, one-third again in year two. Never cut into bare, leafless old wood as most grevilleas cannot regenerate from bare stems. Use sharp bypass secateurs and loppers and prune immediately after flowering. |
| Leaf scorch or brown leaf tips | Reflected heat, drying winds, or fertiliser burn from product applied too close to the stem. | Water deeply and mulch generously around the root zone. If fertiliser burn is suspected, flush the soil with deep watering over several days. Reposition potted plants away from reflected heat surfaces such as rendered walls and paving. |
| Skin irritation or rash after handling | Contact dermatitis from resorcinol — a naturally occurring compound present in many grevilleas, particularly 'Robyn Gordon' cultivars. | Always wear long-cuffed gardening gloves when pruning or handling grevilleas. Avoid planting skin-irritating cultivars beside paths or in areas where people brush past foliage regularly. |
Grevilleas reward the gardener who takes time to match species to site. The failures almost always come down to the wrong plant in the wrong climate, waterlogged soil, or the wrong fertiliser. Get those three things right and a grevillea will repay you with decades of flowers, wildlife and year-round interest in your garden.
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