Dozens of grevilleas have moved in and out of the nursery trade over the years, mostly medium to large shrubs and a few mounding groundcovers with needlelike, narrowly oval, or finely divided leaves and intriguing flowers typically described as either “spidery” or brushlike.
Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’
Grevillea ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ is distinctive for its nearly flat, widespreading habit and its long, dark green leaves deeply lobed in sawtooth fashion. Less than a foot tall and spreading 10-15 feet wide, the dense foliage drapes over walls and cascades down banks, prominently displaying the pinkish red, one-sided, brushlike flowers from late winter into fall. New leaves are bronzy red.
Sometimes offered under the trademark Fanfare, this cultivar is a hybrid of garden origin, believed to involve Grevillea longifolia, a large shrub, and the ground-hugging G. x gaudichaudii, itself a naturally occurring hybrid between G. acanthifolia and G. laurifolia. The three species are all native to the Blue Mountains of eastern Australia. Although varied in the specifics of leaf shape and flower color, all bear the signature sawtoothed leaves and pink or red brushlike flowers.
‘Austraflora Fanfare’ does best in cool sun or light shade with afternoon shade inland in hot-summer climates. Good drainage is essential. As for many other Australian plants, avoid fertilizers, especially those high in phosphorus, and don’t water in hot weather. Cut back after flowering for best form and to discourage build-up of dead branches beneath. Tip pruning at any time of year encourages flower production.
This grevillea is not a common offering of most retail nurseries and garden centers, but it is sometimes available from specialty nurseries and online.
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