GREVILLEA baileyana (Bailey's Grevillea)

Bailey's grevillea (Grevillea baileyana), also known as white oak, is the grevillea to plant when you want a tree rather than a shrub. It reaches around 8m tall and 5m wide in cultivation, with lobed foliage backed in bronze that flashes copper whenever wind moves through it. Cream and white flower spikes bring honeyeaters and bees, and growth is fast for a tree of this size. It is supplied ex ground as an advanced specimen.

Why you'll love it

• Foliage that does the work. The bronze undersides on new growth catch the light with every breeze, so the tree holds interest between flowering flushes.
• Fast to useful height. It is a genuinely fast growing native, the reason it is chosen over slower rainforest trees for new screening.
• Birds and bees all season. Cream flower spikes draw honeyeaters, and the plant supports bees and butterflies alongside them.
• Built for exposure. Wind tolerant, humidity tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so open blocks and coastal hinterland sites suit it.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 3m apart for a tall screen. At that spacing the canopies meet without crowding, and the height clears an overlooking upper storey that a hedge never will.

Shade and feature planting. A single tree shades a lawn or a northern wall while staying narrow enough at 5m to leave the garden beneath it usable.

Driveways and avenues. Space 4m to 5m apart along an entry drive on acreage, where the fast growth closes an avenue in a few seasons rather than a decade.

Growing Bailey's grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the densest canopy and the heaviest flowering. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens are outside its range.

Soil. Free draining is the one real requirement. It handles poor and sandy ground well, but heavy wet clay causes root problems, so plant on a raised mound there. Mulch 75mm deep to the drip line, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers, which matters more for an ex ground tree rebuilding roots lost at lifting. Use only low phosphorus native fertiliser, since grevilleas are damaged by standard garden formulations.

Pruning. Tip prune while young to build a fuller canopy, and lift the lower limbs gradually if you want clearance underneath. Avoid hard cutting into bare old wood, which it does not reliably reshoot from.

What to expect when it arrives

This is an ex ground tree, field grown and lifted with its root ball wrapped rather than raised in a pot. It arrives as a single advanced specimen with a formed trunk and a real canopy, far more tree than a container plant at a comparable price.

Expect some leaf loss after lifting and transport, and plan for staking, a properly prepared planting pit and consistent water through the first two summers. Trees are delivered Australia wide, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete grevillea care guide
• Browse the full grevillea range
• Compare ex ground advanced trees
• Bird attracting natives for Australian gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Three metres apart. Any closer and the trees compete for light and lose their lower branches, which is the opposite of what a screen needs.

How big does it get?

Around 8m tall and 5m wide in a garden. It grows far taller in far north Queensland rainforest, but open garden conditions hold it to a size most blocks can carry.

Can I use normal fertiliser on it?

No. Grevilleas are sensitive to phosphorus and standard garden fertilisers can damage the roots. Use a controlled release native formulation in early spring instead.