Grevillea New Blood

Grevillea 'New Blood' (Grevillea 'New Blood') is a low, wide spreading native that flowers almost without stopping. It holds to around 60cm tall while running 2.5m across, so one plant covers real ground, and the deep red toothbrush flowers appear through most of the year. Honeyeaters find it within days of planting.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers nearly year round. Deep red toothbrush blooms come in waves rather than one short burst, so the planting is rarely bare.
• Covers ground fast. A quick grower that spreads to 2.5m, which means fewer plants and less weeding on a large bed.
• Brings in honeyeaters. Nectar rich flowers at low level draw small birds into the garden through winter.
• Suits hard sites. Drought tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, from arid inland gardens to coastal front yards.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 1.5m apart for a dense cover. That spacing lets each plant reach full width and knit with its neighbours in two seasons, without crowding the centres.

Retaining walls and slopes. Set it along the top of a wall and the stems cascade over the face, softening hard edges and holding soil on a bank.

Rockeries and borders. The low habit works between rocks and along a wide bed edge, where sharp drainage and full sun give the heaviest flowering.

Growing grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the best flowering, though it accepts part shade with looser growth. It grows across subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland and highland districts should plant it in a sheltered position.

Soil. Drainage matters more than fertility. Sandy, gravelly and poor soils are ideal, while heavy clay needs a raised mound and coarse material worked through. Use a gravel or coarse mulch rather than a rich compost layer.

Water and feed. Deep water weekly through the first summer, after which it needs very little. Use only a low phosphorus native fertiliser, because standard garden fertilisers damage grevillea roots and are the most common cause of sudden decline.

Pruning. Tip prune lightly after each flush to keep the plant compact and full through the middle. Avoid cutting back into thick bare wood, since it does not reliably reshoot from old stems.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock, in a 140mm pack of ten and a 200mm pack of six. Tubes are the value option for a large bank and establish quickly, while the 140mm and 200mm packs give a fuller look in the first year. Plants arrive compact, with the spread still ahead of them.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect roots to take within a month, then rapid lateral growth and first flowers in the same year. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and care for grevilleas
• Browse the full grevillea range
• Compare groundcover plants
• Bird attracting plants

Common questions

How many plants do I need to cover a bed?

One plant per 1.5m in each direction, so roughly four plants for every nine square metres. Closer planting closes the gap faster but leaves crowded, thin centres later.

How tall does it actually get?

It stays low, around 60cm, and puts its energy into spreading. That makes it a genuine groundcover rather than a shrub that needs constant cutting back.

What fertiliser should I use?

A low phosphorus native blend, applied lightly in early spring. Standard lawn and garden fertilisers contain enough phosphorus to kill an established grevillea.

Will it grow in a pot?

It can, in a wide shallow container with a gritty free draining mix, though the spread will be limited. Water when the top of the mix dries and never let the pot stand in a saucer.