Grevillea 'Honey Gem'
Honey Gem Grevillea
Description
Grevillea 'Honey Gem' is an upright and very attractive shrub with finely divided, grey/green leaves with silvery undersides. Large golden/orange flowers, starting in spring and lasting most of the year, make an attractive accent with the foliage. These are excellent featured ornamentals that will make the biggest impact when planted en masse as a medium height hedge. They are one of the best attractors of honeyeaters and lorakeets as they literally drip with nectar at times. Easy to keep, this is one of Australia's favourite garden plants - for very good reason. Soil: Well drained, not too moist, slightly acid soils with lots of leaf matter and mulch around roots. Maintenance: Take care not to disturb the roots. Trim back after flowering as the heads can be messy. Fertilize with blood and bone or a slow release native formulated fertilizer. When they age, there is a tendency to become a bit sparse in the middle to lower areas. To get them to fill out again, just prune off the top layers (be a bit brutal if you can) without denuding the plant entirely of foliage. Then watch as new shoots appear along old and gnarled branches. This is best done in spring when it is growing fastest. Diseases: None of note. This evergreen shrub prefers full sun. It tolerates some wind. It quickly reaches 11.5' tall and 6' wide.
Plant Type
Shrub
Height Range
6-12'
Width Range
Flower Color
Gold, Orange
Flower Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Leaf Color
Grey Green, Silver
Bark Color
n/a
Fruit Color
n/a
Fruit Season
n/a
Sun
Full
Water
Very Low
Growth Rate
Fast
Soil Type
Loam, Rocky
Soil Condition
Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid
Adverse Factors
Attracts Bees
Design Styles
Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish
Accenting Features
Fall Color, Showy Flowers, Unusual Foliage
Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Location Uses
Background, Shrub Border, Patio, Park, Raised Planter, Roadside, Walls / Fences
Special Uses
Container, Cut Flowers, Erosion Control, Filler, Hedge, Screen, Mass Planting, Wind Break
Attracts Wildlife
Birds
Change spray sprinklers to low-flow bubbler or drip systems.
Shrubs and trees are ideal candidates for this type of irrigation because the water is applied directly to the root zones.