Scarlet Grevillea

~ Grevillea banksii ~

PROTEACEAE

Also known as the Red Silky Oak, this widely cultivated plant features a tequila-sunset, nectar-rich flower that attracts insects, birds and mammals, all of which are potential pollinators. Nature has done a fine job with the Grevillea’s evolutionary narrative and in such a short amount of time too – only 11.2 million years. This is actually short, relatively speaking, especially in terms of the number of species that have evolved under the Grevillea belt. Most flowers, especially those of our gregarious Eucalypts and Acacias, unashamedly flash their pollen-laden male organs (the stamens) in excessive groups. Our Grevillea flower, however, switches roles. She’s all for equal play. The red style (the female bit) essentially snatches the pollen from its male organs while in bud and then flings out, far beyond the flower, presenting itself to potential pollinators – like a long red extending arm holding a hand of ... plant sperm. It’s an incredible function that gives these colourful blooms their red spidery lady legs.

WHERE TO LOOK

The Scarlet Grevillea is a huge fan of the sandy Queensland coastline. It’s endemic to the south-east corner up to Yeppoon on the Capricorn coast. It can be found in woodlands and open forest, in sandy soils, in heathlands and on rocky slopes.

Locations → Queensland: Burrum Coast National Park, Mount Coolum National Park, Toohey Forest Park, Joseph Banks Conservation Park (Seventeen-Seventy), Deepwater National Park, Byfield National Park and Keppel Bay Islands National Park.

FEATURES

The Scarlet Grevillea can be a proud 7–10m shrub or it can be low and sprawling. The leaves are 30cm long and divided into 10–15cm long lobes. Their foliage features a silky-haired underside that can give the shrub an overall silvery appearance. The standout inflorescences are bright red (with a pink and yellow haze), presenting many flowers along a 15cm spike. The classic open ‘spider flower’ is made up of a curved floral tube measuring 15mm and a long curved style, extending out at maturity to create the spidery-leg effect. Its fruit is a furry brown follicle measuring 15–25mm and containing two seeds.

FLOWERING SEASON

Year-round → The flowers can be seen all year but are prominent from April to June and from September to November.

PLANTING

This plant is widely cultivated and can be found online and in nurseries. Seeds take a long time to germinate without pre-treatment. See the planting instructions for its sister tree, the Silky Oak, on p. 153 for how to achieve this. Similarly to the Silky Oak, the sawdust from Scarlet Grevillea wood can cause contact dermatitis and mild respiratory allergies.