General Description:

Grevillea is a genus of around 380 species, most of which are endemic to Australia but a few species occur in Papua New Guinea and islands to Australia’s north. Further information on the botany, propagation and cultivation of grevilleas can be found in our dedicated Grevillea page.

Most grevilleas are small to medium shrubs but some are prostrate and a few can become large trees. Various species hybridise readily and numerous named cultivars are available resulting from either deliberate breeding or chance hybridization.

Grevillea baileyana is a medium to large tree, usually to about 10 metres but occasionally to 30 metres high. Bark is grey, hard and sometimes scaly. Leaves are rich green with the underside of the new growth having a rusty or bronze sheen. This is a particularly useful diagnostic point in the growing period. Juvenile leaves have 5-9 broad lobes but adult leaves are simple, glabrous above and finely silky beneath.

Flowers are borne in tight, clustered racemes and have a strong nectar perfume which attracts myriad insects to the flower heads. The flowering period is from late spring through summer.

Although it is naturally found in rainforest, G.baileyana is very hardy when established and has been successfully grown in a wide range of soils and climates. In open, drier areas it grows quite happily but is sometimes prone to loss of branches by wind.

Propagation may be carried out from fresh seed and cuttings of juvenile growth are also successful.