I am generally not a massive fan of the large flowering Grevilleas, mainly because they encourage the wrong birds, well not the wrong birds but birds who already have a plentiful source of food. However when someone asks for a native plant that flowers year round, they are generally the first thing that springs to mind.


Most of the large, brush-flowered grevilleas come from northern Australia so are very well suited to subtropical climates where they create showy displays. This Grevillea ‘Blood Orange’ is in my mums front garden and it has never been without flowers! It is growing happily in a clay soil in full sun, iit copes well with coastal winds and extended periods of dry weather.

The flowers are about 15cm to 20cm long and a deep, unusual orange, the shrub its self has a slightly weeping habit and grows to about 3 metres tall by 2 metres wide. It is best to give it a light prune once or twice a year to maintain its dense habit.

Grevillea ‘Blood Orange’ can also be under-pruned to make a small feature tree or be planted as a screening shrub. The rainbow lorikeets love this Grevillea as do the noisy minors, luckily there is plenty of dense cover with smaller flowers for the smaller birds nearby. I really can’t begrudge ‘Blood Orange’s showy habit it is always admired by passersby on the street and gives plenty of privacy to the front deck.

 

Comments

7 responses to “Sweet: Grevillea ‘Blood Orange’”

  1. Rhondda Carroll

    Just what I need. Do you know where I could purchase in SE Queensland?

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Rhondda,

      You might be able to find one at https://nielsensnativenursery.com.au/index.php ?

      Best Wishes,

      Kath

  2. Lancia Jordana

    We bought our blood orange recently from Buringbar Rainforest Nursery just over the border in NSW. Nice drive in the country. Fantastic place to shop for natives of all kinds!

    Good luck
    Lani

  3. Dot i’Neill

    Is it available in Victoria and would it need to be grafted here

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Dot,

      It shouldn’t need to be grafted in Vic, you could try some of the native nurseries on this list to see if they stock it: https://malleedesign.com.au/native-nurseries-across-australia/

      All the best,

  4. Susan Heath

    Do you know where, in Victoria, I can purchase Grevillea ‘Blood Orange’?

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Susan, I had a look at Kuranga Native nursery, it is not on their stock list at the moment but you can keep checking in with them. Or try online plant delivery sites:
      https://delivertree.com.au/products/grevillea-blood-orange
      Happy searching,
      Kath

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