Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’: A Striking Australian Native Bursting with Red Flowers.

Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’: A Bold Australian Beauty for Your Garden

Introducing Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’, a robust and free-flowering Australian native shrub celebrated for its striking, toothbrush-like blooms in a vibrant shade of red. This exceptional cultivar is a standout in any garden, attracting a plethora of nectar-feeding birds with its abundant and long-lasting floral display. Its hardy nature, adaptability to various well-drained soils, and relatively low maintenance requirements make ‘Ned Kelly’ a fantastic choice for gardeners seeking a bold splash of color and a wildlife magnet.

A Vibrant Cascade of Red and Architectural Foliage:

• Spectacular Red Toothbrush Flowers: Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’ produces masses of eye-catching, toothbrush-shaped flower heads in a brilliant, rich red hue. These distinctive blooms are borne profusely over a long flowering period, creating a vibrant and dynamic display that is truly captivating.
• Attractive Fern-like Foliage: The plant features deeply divided, fern-like foliage in a lush, mid-green color. This attractive foliage provides a beautiful textural contrast to the bold red flowers and offers year-round visual interest.
• Vigorous and Bushy Growth: ‘Ned Kelly’ exhibits a vigorous and bushy growth habit, quickly establishing itself as a substantial and attractive shrub in the landscape. Its sturdy branches support the abundant flower production.

Botanical Characteristics:

• Scientific Name: Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’
• Growth Habit: Vigorous, bushy evergreen shrub
• Foliage: Mid-green, deeply divided, fern-like leaves
• Flowers: Numerous, toothbrush-shaped flower heads in a vibrant red color
• Bloom Time: Primarily spring through autumn, with sporadic flowering possible year-round in mild climates.
• Mature Size: Typically reaches 6-8 feet in height and 5-7 feet in width.
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-11 (best suited for regions with mild winters).

Cultivation and Care:

• Sunlight: Thrives in full sun exposure, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to ensure prolific flowering and healthy growth. Adequate sunlight also contributes to more vibrant flower color.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Sandy or loamy soils are ideal. Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot, a common issue with Grevilleas in poorly draining conditions. Avoid heavy clay soils or amend them significantly with sand or other drainage-improving materials.  
• Water: Water regularly during the initial establishment period. Once established, Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’ demonstrates good drought tolerance. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings, especially during dry periods. Avoid overwatering.
• Fertilizer: Generally does not require heavy fertilization. Apply a low-phosphorus, native plant fertilizer sparingly in early spring if growth appears weak. Avoid high-phosphorus fertilizers, as they can be detrimental to the plant's health.
• Temperature: Prefers mild to warm temperatures and is sensitive to prolonged periods of hard frost. In colder regions within its hardiness range, some protection during severe cold snaps may be beneficial, especially for younger plants.
• Pruning: Light pruning after the main flowering period can help maintain a desirable shape, encourage bushier growth, and promote future blooms. Removing spent flower heads can also improve the plant's appearance. More significant pruning can be done to manage size if necessary.

Landscape Use:

• Striking Specimen Plant: Its vibrant red flowers and attractive foliage make Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’ an outstanding specimen plant, drawing attention and adding a bold splash of color to any garden.
• Wildlife Gardens: Its nectar-rich flowers are a magnet for honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds, making it an essential addition to gardens designed to attract wildlife.
• Informal Hedges and Screens: Its dense and bushy growth habit makes it suitable for creating informal hedges or screens, providing both visual interest and habitat for wildlife.
• Coastal Gardens: Demonstrates good tolerance to salt spray, making it a reliable and colorful choice for coastal landscapes.
• Water-Wise Gardens: Its drought tolerance once established makes it an excellent addition to water-wise and Mediterranean-style gardens.
• Mixed Borders: Can be incorporated into mixed shrub borders to provide a vibrant focal point and extend the flowering season.  

Wildlife Attraction:

• The abundant and nectar-rich flowers of Grevillea ‘Ned Kelly’ are exceptionally attractive to a wide variety of nectar-feeding birds, including honeyeaters, lorikeets, and wattlebirds. It also attracts bees and other beneficial insects, contributing to a lively and biodiverse garden environment.

Pest and Disease Resistance:

• Generally exhibits good resistance to most common garden pests and diseases when grown in appropriate conditions with well-drained soil and adequate sunlight. Root rot can occur in poorly drained or overly wet conditions. Ensuring proper drainage is crucial for maintaining the plant's health. Some susceptibility to scale insects or spider mites may occur occasionally, but these are usually manageable.

Propagation:

• Propagation is typically achieved through cuttings taken from semi-hardwood growth during spring or autumn. Grafting onto hardy rootstock is also sometimes practiced to improve tolerance to certain soil conditions. Seed propagation is possible but can be slow and may not produce plants identical to the parent cultivar.

Incorporating Grevillea into Your Landscape:

• Optimal Planting Location: Select a sunny location with excellent drainage. Ensure adequate space for its mature size, considering both height and width.
• Soil Preparation is Key: Prepare the planting area with well-draining soil. Amend heavy clay soils with sand, gypsum, or other drainage-improving materials.
• Companion Plant Selection: Pair with other drought-tolerant Australian native plants or Mediterranean climate species that thrive in similar sunny, well-drained conditions. Consider plants with contrasting flower colors or foliage textures to enhance the visual appeal.  

Relevant Plants: Grevillea, Red grevillea, Australian native plants, bird-attracting plants, drought-tolerant shrubs, coastal garden plants, water-wise gardening, red flowers, evergreen shrubs, low-maintenance shrubs.