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 decora is a medium sized, upright shrub, 2-5m high. Leaves are narrowly egg-shaped or oval, leathery, dull greyish-green, 7-18 cm x 2.5-7 cm with bronze-red and densely hairy new growth.

Flowers are dull bronze-red in colour and are borne in large, dense, terminal one-sided racemes 8-30 cm long. Flowering period is April to October. Seeds are borne in leathery, hairy follicles with the style persistent; 1.0-1.8cm x 0.8-1.1cm.

This is a colourful plant which does well in dry tropical areas as long as it has well drained soil. It is not suited to cold, temperate climates.

The species is best propagated from scarified seed. Cuttings have been successful but can be difficult to strike. The species has been successfully grafted onto G.robusta root stock – grafted plants grow successfully in cooler areas.

Some botanists regard this plant as a subspecies of G.goodii.