Botany Photo of the Day

Grevillea victoriae - Z9, RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths

Wow.

Obviously not strictly a USDA 9 item as it is growing at UBC. One in the Vashon Botanical Garden of Colvos Creek nursery, near Seattle (USDA 8) may be 3m high by now; several plants from same source planted here in Edmonds are now reaching above the first-storey gutter in places after several years of growth.

RHS Index is a condensation of error-ridden* last edition of RHS Dictionary, so continued posting of bits from it here was bound to lead to a wrong/questionable one eventually.

*One reader was said to find over 800 in one viewing

The above comment of this plant now reaching "above a first story gutter.." is interesting, as this plant doesn't grow more than 3 metres, or about 10 feet in nature, meaning it has probably reached its mature height. One other curious point about this plant. Most southern hemisphere plants, like northern ones, bloom in response to long days and warmth (ie. summer), just as does G. victoriae. However, after residing here for some time, this plant remains true to its southern hemisphere calendar, blooming anytime from September until the following May, with peaks around November and February. It isn't unusual to see flowers fully out with snow piled on top of them. In Australia (even in the mountains) this sight would be a very strange sight indeed!

They're still actively gaining height. Sometimes surviving wild population of a plant will be living under environmental constraints that cultivated specimens are not subjected to. Another southern hemisphere example would be certain gums that are dwarfed by subalpine conditions in the wild, have grown tall in cultivation elsewhere.

Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK says the Grevillea is "Variable in size; the form most commonly seen is 6 ft. or taller and as wide..."

Friends

Will it grow and survive in zone 4 in New York State?

Thank you

Ed Pell

Afraid not, Edwin, sorry.

How about in the foothills of Washington State's Cascade Mountains - altitude is 750 ft. above sea level?

I'm interested in this plant as well, but worried it would not survive zone 7a (Sunset zone 4)in Woodinville WA. Thoughts?

It'd be worth a try, I think, if an inexpensive plant could be found.

I am interested in the Grevillea victoriae as I had a beautiful one in my garden in Seattle. I'm wondering if it is deer resistant? We are on the "grazing path" here on Whidbey Island and plants listed as deer proof/resistant are often eaten to a nub, nibbled on or stripped of leaves.

we have been growning G. victoriae in our Queenstown New Zealand garden for some years now. they attract the bell birds and tui birds especially during the winter months when food is in very short supply. wonderful to wake to the sound of these native birds. i also feed them sugar and water during the winter months. last season and pair nested in one of our Grevillia victoriae tree. all very exciting and hope this happens again in a few weeks time.

I live on Vashon Island in Puget Sound and have a Grevillea Victoriae that's about three years old and five feet tall, bushy and lush.

Here's what I love about it:
1. foilage is always perfect, healthy and pest free
2. deer don't seem to like it, only once was there a little munching and then never again and trust me I have herds of deer roaming my property.
3. amazingly drought tolerant, I rarely water it.
4. withstood our two weeks of 20-30 F degree weather last winter with no damage (though that cold snap killed my grevillea "canberra gem")
5. It's beautiful and blooms late when nothing else is in bloom. I'm a huge fan and got mine at Colvos Creek Nursery on Vashon: http://www.colvoscreeknursery.com/index.html