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Spider Flowers Grevillea

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
greh-vil-LAY-ah
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Spider flowers are a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the Proteaceae family. Most of them are native to Australia but a few are found in New Guinea and New Caledonia. They vary greatly from being trees to erect shrubs to cascading in form. They are evergreen plants that appreciate warm temperatures and long growing seasons. Most varieties will not survive freezing temperatures. but a few tolerate some cold such as G. victoriae and have been grown on the Pacific coast of CA and OR. 

The genus was named in honor of Charles Frances Greville, an 18th-century patron of botany and co-founder of the  Royal Horticultural Society.

The leaves can be either simple or compound and alternate on the stem with either a needle-like or fern-like appearance and stay attractive all year. The flowers can be small to spectacular and most have nectar that attracts hummingbirds and pollinators. The flowers are petal-less, but the narrow calyx tube produces long styles that are typically brightly colored.

Most of these plants require acidic well-drained soils low in phosphorus. Do not use a fertilizer with phosphorus in it. They need full to partial sun and most are drought-tolerant.  In NC grow them in containers so they can be moved inside when temperatures approach freezing. They can be grown as a houseplant in a spot with bright light or in a greenhouse or atrium-type setting.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Handle with care - skin irritation can be severe.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#showy flowers#poisonous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#houseplant#low maintenance#well-drained soil#long bloom time#contact dermatitis#container plant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#showy flowers#poisonous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#houseplant#low maintenance#well-drained soil#long bloom time#contact dermatitis#container plant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Grevillea
    Family:
    Proteaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central Malesia to New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Poisonous
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Cascading
    Clumping
    Erect
    Multi-stemmed
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Fine
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Follicle
    Fruit Description:
    A follicle that spits down 1 side releasing 1-2 seeds.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spike
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Good Cut
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Summer
    Winter
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are arranged in a terminal cluster, tubular shaped and may be white, red, yellow, or orange. They can be small spider-like or large toothbrush shaped with a large caylx covered with protruding filaments on one side and no petals. Most have a long bloom season
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Soft
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Fern-like to needle-like leaves can be either simple or compound and are alternate on the stem. They stay attractive year-round and vary in size per species.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Houseplants
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Design Feature:
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Hummingbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Problems:
    Contact Dermatitis
    Poisonous to Humans
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Intense itching, streaking, and blisters, often delayed after contact.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Resorcinols, pentadecylresorcinol, tridecylresorcinol
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    Yes
    Poison Part:
    Bark
    Flowers
    Leaves