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Grevillea alpina
Also called Mountain Grevillea
Grevillea alpina is a variable Australian shrub, from low ground cover to a spreading shrub up to about 2 m tall, prized for its curled flowers in many colours. The key to growing it is good drainage and dry conditions, as it dislikes excess moisture.
Grevillea alpina is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It has several common names, including mountain grevillea, alpine grevillea, and cat's claws. It is endemic to Australia. It is not limited to alpine environments, and in fact is less common at high elevation than low. The species is variable in appearance, with five general forms described: small-flowered, Grampians, Northern Victorian, Goldfields, and Southern Hills forms. It is found in dry forests and woodlands across Victoria and into southern New South Wales.
Some forms of the plant are low to the ground, and some become a spreading shrub. The flowers come in many colours, from white to green to shades of red and pink, or a pattern of several colours. The curled flowers are 1 to 3 centimetres (0.39 to 1.18 in) in length. It is attractive to nectar-feeding insects and birds.
The species was first introduced to cultivation in England in 1856 and by 1858 was in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. Though widely grown, it has a reputation for being short lived. This problem, which is accentuated in humid climates with summer rainfall, has been addressed by grafting on various rootstocks. G. alpina grows best in dry environments and does not tolerate excess moisture well. Regular pruning from a young age will encourage denser growth and reduce woodiness.
Plants are readily propagated from pre-treated seed, though seed sourced from gardens often leads to hybrid progeny. The species hybridises readily with Grevillea rosmarinifolia, Grevillea juniperina and Grevillea lavandulacea. The use of cuttings is the preferred method of propagation for assuring that particular forms and cultivars are true to type.
Grevillea alpina is widespread in Victoria extending from Melbourne northwards into New South Wales through Albury and as far north as Canberra where it is found on Black Mountain. Its westernmost extent is found in the Grampians in Victoria. It occurs in woodland, heathland and mallee.
Grevillea acacioides · Grevillea acanthifolia · Grevillea acerata · Grevillea acrobotrya · Grevillea acropogon · Grevillea acuaria · Grevillea adenotricha · Grevillea agrifolia · Grevillea albiflora · Grevillea alpivaga · Grevillea althoferorum · Grevillea amplexans
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Grevillea alpina by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
