Katherine's Sister Grevillea

Katherine's Sister Grevillea (Grevillea 'Katherine's Sister') is a big, bushy native shrub 2m to 3m tall and 2m to 3m wide. Large, nectar-rich red-pink flowers appear intermittently through the year and are a magnet for honeyeaters. It is a grafted plant, which lets it grow in a wider range of soils than own-root grevilleas.

Why you'll love it

• Large red-pink flowers. The big, vibrant brushes are the main attraction, held against bushy green foliage.
• Flowers on and off all year. Blooms appear intermittently through the year rather than in a single flush, so the garden always has a little colour.
• A bird magnet. The flowers are rich in nectar, which makes this plant a reliable draw for honeyeaters.
• Grafted for wider soils. The graft joins the top of the plant to a more robust rootstock, so it accepts a wider range of soils.
• Responds well to pruning. A hard prune every year or two keeps it dense and brings fresh flowering branches.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Plant 3m apart as a bushy specimen. At 2m to 3m tall and wide, it makes a strong anchor in a border.

Wildlife gardens. Plant it in view of a window or seat, since the visiting honeyeaters are half the pleasure.

Native gardens. It suits mixed native beds, where its size and bold colour balance smaller shrubs and grasses.

Growing Katherine's Sister Grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the most flowers. It tolerates dry periods once established, but it needs protection from heavy or prolonged frost, so in cold gardens plant it in a sheltered, sunny position such as against a warm wall.

Soil. Free draining soil is preferred. Being grafted, it handles a wider range of soils than most grevilleas, but still avoid sites where water sits.

Water and feed. Water regularly for the first 8 to 12 weeks until established. Feed with a slow release native fertiliser when buds form, with phosphorus under 3 per cent, because grevilleas are sensitive to it.

Pruning. Prune after flowering to encourage flowers and a dense habit. A hard prune every year or two gives a fresh flush of flowers and a bushier plant. Remove any leaves that appear below the graft point.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Katherine's Sister Grevillea as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Katherine's Sister is grafted, so the young stem has a graft point near the base, secured with biodegradable tape that should dissolve by itself. Keep the graft above the soil when planting. Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the page reads sold out, use the notify button and you will get an email the day it returns.

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

• Browse the full grevillea range
• Bird-attracting plants
• Designing a native garden to attract wildlife
• Grevillea care guide

Common questions

What does grafted mean?

The flowering top is joined to a more robust rootstock, which lets it grow in a wider range of soils. Plant with the graft point above soil level and remove any shoots below it.

Can it handle frost?

It needs protection from heavy or prolonged frost. Light frosts are fine once it is established, but cold gardens should give it shelter.

How often should I prune it?

Lightly after each flowering, with a hard prune every year or two to keep it dense. This also brings on new flowering branches.