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Verticordia grandis
Also called Scarlet Feather Flower
Verticordia grandis is a large woody shrub from south-west Western Australia, grown for its striking red feathery flowers. It is a species of the Myrtaceae family, grown in gardens and as a cut flower, and it does best in sandy, well-drained soil in full sun.
Verticordia grandis is a large woody shrub that occurs in Southwest Australia. The name grandis, Latin for large, is a reference to its large flowers, leaves, and height. It is well known for its large flowers, which are collected and cultivated, and given the informal name of scarlet featherflower. It was the first species of the family Myrtaceae to have been genetically modified.
Verticordia grandis occurs in yellow, grey, and white sands, especially the Geraldton Sandplains. The species is found in heathland and open scrub of the region, an association with laterite has also been identified, and is distributed south of Geraldton and to the east at Three Springs. The range extends south in the plains, between Geraldton and Perth, to a place known as Cataby. Most populations occur within 30 miles of the coastline. The species is not considered to be threatened by extinction, the root system making it tolerant of fire, disturbance, and physical damage, however, the large scale clearing of its range, for European agriculture, is presumed to have impacted on population and distribution in the Wheatbelt. A single outlier at Dalwallinu, conserved on private property by a title deed, is thought to be a remnant of a wider and more eastern distribution.
The species has been used as the source of cut flowers and as a garden plant. Overpicking and increased demand have prompted study of techniques for its commercial production. Successful research has been undertaken into micropropagation, by means of genetic transformation, for commercial production to supply the floristry industry. This was the first time that a species of family Myrtaceae has been genetically engineered. The publication of papers and reference to the species has steadily increased since the 1990s.
Pink Brownii · Verticordia elizabethiae · Verticordia halophila · Christmas Morrison
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Verticordia grandis 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.
