Grevillea ‘Hills Jubilee’

Grevillea 'Hills Jubilee' (Grevillea 'Hills Jubilee') is a compact native shrub that earns its place twice over: fine, soft needle foliage all year, then pink and red spider flowers through the cooler months when honeyeaters need them most. It grows to about 1.5m tall and wide, hedges neatly at 1m spacing, and shrugs off frost, drought, salt and poor soil. Few shrubs of any kind work in as many Australian gardens as this one.

Why you'll love it

• Winter flowers with a purpose. The spider blooms open through the cooler months, feeding honeyeaters when little else in the street is flowering.
• A hedge that stays soft. The fine needle foliage reads as a plume rather than a wall, so even clipped rows keep a relaxed native character.
• Tough on every front. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, salt tolerant and untroubled by poor soil, it suits exposed and unimproved sites.
• Grows almost anywhere in the country. Cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and arid zone gardens all suit it.
• Compact by design. At about 1.5m each way it screens a fence line without becoming a pruning chore.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense informal hedge that closes within a couple of seasons and hides a standard fence panel.

Mass planting. Repeated in groups at the same 1m spacing, it gives a bank or broad bed year round structure and a long flowering season with no upkeep.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance keeps the foliage clean in beachside positions that scorch softer hedging plants.

Feature and habitat planting. A single shrub near a window turns winter mornings into bird watching.

Growing Grevillea 'Hills Jubilee' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun grows the densest shrub and heaviest flowering; light shade is tolerated with a looser habit. It is frost hardy for southern and inland gardens and equally at home on the subtropical coast and in dry districts.

Soil. Any soil with drainage, from sand to unimproved fill. On heavy clay, plant on a slight mound. Skip the compost rich hole; grevilleas prefer lean conditions.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in prolonged dry spells. Feed with a low phosphorus native fertiliser only: standard fertilisers carry enough phosphorus to damage grevilleas over time.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting, then trim lightly after the main flowering to keep the shape tight. Avoid cutting into old bare wood, which grevilleas resent.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell 'Hills Jubilee' in three formats: single tubes, 140mm pots in a pack of 10 and 200mm pots in a pack of 6. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long hedge and establish quickly with tip pruning; the 140mm and 200mm plants are bushier and shorten the wait to a closed screen. Expect steady growth from the first warm season, and flowering often starts young.

Plants are packed to travel upright and 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

• Top bird attracting native plants
• Browse the full grevillea range
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• More drought tolerant plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. At that spacing the fine foliage knits into a dense informal hedge within about two seasons, furnished to the ground.

When does it flower?

The main display runs through the cooler months, from autumn into spring in most districts. That off season timing is why honeyeaters rely on it, and why it stands out in a winter streetscape.

What fertiliser should I use?

A low phosphorus native fertiliser, once in spring, is all it needs. Avoid general purpose fertilisers, manures and mushroom compost, because grevilleas are sensitive to phosphorus and decline when overfed with it.

Can I keep it lower than 1.5m?

Yes. Regular light trims after flowering hold it comfortably at around 1m. Keep the cuts in green growth rather than bare wood and it stays dense at whatever height you choose.