Strawberry Pops Grevillea

Strawberry Pops Grevillea (Grevillea 'Strawberry Pops') is a compact nectar shrub that settles at about 2m tall and 2m wide. It carries red and pink flowers in waves across most of the year on fine, deeply divided foliage, and honeyeaters find it within weeks of planting. For a hot dry corner that still has to look alive in July, few natives are this easy.

Why you'll love it

• Birds arrive quickly. The red and pink blooms are full of nectar, and flowering comes in repeated flushes rather than one short burst.
• It stays a manageable size. About 2m by 2m, so it fills a bed without being cut back hard every winter.
• Real drought and heat tolerance. Once established it lives on rain in most warm districts, and a run of hot days does not check it.
• Poor soil is an advantage. Sandy, gravelly, low fertility ground suits it. Rich, heavily fed beds give soft growth and fewer flowers.
• Very little upkeep. A light tip prune after each flush is the whole job.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single plant beside a path holds colour at eye level. Allow 2m of clear space so the branches can arch out.

Mass planting and borders. Plant 1.5m apart for a bird attracting drift or a low informal edge along a driveway. The canopies meet within two seasons and air still moves through each plant.

Coastal gardens. Coastal blocks suit it, though it is not rated salt tolerant, so keep it back from direct spray.

Growing Strawberry Pops Grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day drives the flowering. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland districts, the tablelands and cold southern gardens sit outside its range.

Soil. Drainage matters more than fertility. Free draining sand, gravel or improved loam all work. Heavy clay does not, so build a raised mound and open the bed with coarse compost.

Water and feed. Deep soak once a week through the first summer, then taper to occasional watering in dry spells. Feed only a low phosphorus native blend in early spring, because ordinary fertiliser holds enough phosphorus to damage grevillea roots.

Pruning. Tip prune after each flush, taking no more than a third of the new growth. That keeps it dense and brings on more buds. Do not cut into bare old wood, which reshoots poorly.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: tube stock, and 140mm plants in a pack of ten. Tubes are young single stemmed plants, usually under 30cm, and they suit a drift because grevilleas establish from small stock faster than most gardeners expect. The pack plants out a full bed in one go.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect little visible change for the first month while roots move out, then steady growth through the first warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and prune grevilleas in Australia
• Browse the full grevillea range
• Compare other bird attracting plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Space plants 1.5m apart for a mass planting or an informal border. They meet within about two seasons, and each plant still gets the air movement it needs.

Why does it need a special fertiliser?

Grevilleas evolved on soils naturally low in phosphorus, and their roots take it up so efficiently that a standard fertiliser can poison them. Use a native blend marked low phosphorus, or feed nothing.

Will it handle frost?

Light frost only. An occasional light overnight frost on an established plant does no lasting harm, but repeated heavy frosts will kill it. In cold districts grow it in a pot you can shift under cover.

How long does it flower for?

It flowers in waves across most of the year, heaviest through the cooler months when little else is out. The first year is lighter while it puts energy into roots.