Grevillea ‘Canberra Gem’ (Spider Flower)

These spiny evergreen plants will flower and flower and flower. Clusters of protruding hooky crimson flowers clothe upright, spiky-leaved stems on a rounded bush that, over a couple decades can get to 3m x 3m.

A spectacular-flowering mass of blooms will put on a colourful show from late winter, with a particularly generous flourish of coiled jester-hat flowers in early spring. The shrub will continue to throw them out all the way into summer. This one has rigid, needle-like deep green foliage which give it a conifer-y texture that is all the more surprising when it does what it does: flower and flower and flower. Interestingly, these are petal-less, just little individual tubular calyxes. Great for pollinating insects looking for winter sustenance.

We like to place Grevillea ‘Canberra Gem’ into exotic garden designs, close to the front of borders where its tactile, aromatic foliage can be handled and the unusual flowers can be admired up-close. With this in mind, it’s sometimes referred to as the ‘Bush Lolly’ and a traditional favourite of Aboriginal Peoples for their sweet nectar, it’s said that this can be shaken onto the hand to enjoy. 

An antipodean plant for full sun in acid to neutral free draining poor soil – loam or sand, do not feed. Protect from north facing winds.

N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.

As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.