Cherry Cluster™ Grevillea

Cherry Cluster Grevillea (Grevillea rhyolitica x juniperina 'TWD01') is a low, semi-prostrate native groundcover that flowers for three seasons of the year. It grows to about 50cm high and 80cm wide, keeps clean, tidy foliage, and from autumn through winter and into spring it carries masses of small red flowers that open like tiny fireworks. Bred by Ozbreed for hard sites, it takes drought and frost down to minus 5 degrees once established.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers for most of the year. Autumn, winter and spring blooms give colour while much of the garden is resting, and the red reads clearly from across a yard.
• Low and tidy. At 50cm high it stays below window sills and path edges without constant trimming, and the foliage stays fresh rather than woody.
• Tough once established. Drought tolerant and frost tolerant to minus 5 degrees, so it suits cold inland gardens as well as dry coastal ones.
• Feeds the birds. Honeyeaters work the flowers through winter, when little else is open.
• Very little to do. A sparing feed and a prune every two or three years is the whole routine.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 60cm apart in offset rows, two to three plants per square metre, and the plants knit into a continuous flowering carpet within two seasons.

Native gardens. It sits naturally at the front of a bed of taller grevilleas, callistemons and westringias, filling the ground layer that native plantings often leave bare.

Rockeries and banks. The semi-prostrate habit drapes over rocks and low walls, and the sharp drainage of a slope is exactly what it wants.

Growing Cherry Cluster Grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with full sun giving the heaviest flowering. It is at home in cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and dry inland climates: Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT and New South Wales from Sydney south. In humid subtropical gardens it sulks, so in south east Queensland keep it to the drier elevated districts such as Toowoomba.

Soil. Well drained soil is the one requirement. Avoid soils with a pH above 7, because on alkaline ground the foliage yellows. On clay, plant on a raised mound.

Water and feed. Water as needed for the first 8 to 13 weeks, then leave it to the weather in all but the longest dry spells. Mulch with a chunky bark mulch. Use a native or slow release fertiliser sparingly, if at all, since grevilleas resent rich feeding.

Pruning. Prune every two to three years if required, lightly after the spring flush, to keep the plant dense. Never cut back into bare old wood.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Cherry Cluster Grevillea in 140mm pots in packs of 10, which covers about four square metres at the recommended spacing. The plants travel well upright, and because the habit is low and spreading they settle quickly. Expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm soil and the first flowers the following autumn.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Our grevillea care guide
• Browse the full grevillea range
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More groundcover plants for Australian gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 60cm apart in offset rows for a dense cover within two seasons, or stretch to 70cm where budget matters more than speed. That is two to three plants per square metre.

Will it grow on the Queensland coast?

Not reliably. Humid subtropical summers suit it poorly, so it is a plant for Sydney and south, the inland and the southern states. Toowoomba and other drier elevated districts are the exception.

Does it need pruning?

Only every two or three years, and only to keep it dense. Take soft growth after flowering and leave the old wood alone.