Grevillea robusta

This beautiful 30-70' (or taller) evergreen tree from coastal Australia features beautiful and huge fern-like, dark-green leaves. As a member of the Protea family, it produces very interesting flowers. Large, showy clusters of bright golden-orange 'toothbrush' flowers appear in spring and are positively dripping with nectar! This nectar is edible, as is the gum that that this plant yields. This very adaptable and fast-growing tree a makes a showy shade tree or large hedge. Useful as a pollinator plant and also produces a powerfully deep golden dye. S/M-D/GDr

Largest of the Grevilleas, this tree from the rainforests of Queensland has distinct, divided, fernlike leaves. On mature trees, which may grow to 60' or more (100' has been recorded), inflorescences of large, orange flowers are produced in climates with sufficient summer warmth. Once a common plant in California landscapes, it has seemingly fallen into disfavor there and has now become remarkably scarce. But now you have the chance to join the minions of those who have killed this spectacular plant in the Pacific Northwest. A true 'zonal denial' plant, it is one of the fastest and easiest Grevilleas to grow, until we get nailed with a really cold winter which will certainly kill it outright. While it's really not hardy to our winters, I finally got one established and growing on my sixth attempt. You don't have to buy six of them though; I will just tell you what I did: grow it on in a pot until at least 5' tall, then plant it in a very sheltered spot in full sun with little frost, and don't water it too much. Hardy to about 25 °F for young plants, maybe as low as 15 to 20 °F when older, if you're lucky enough to see it get any size.