Silk Carpet Grevillea

Silk Carpet Grevillea (Grevillea pinaster 'Silk Carpet') is a Western Australian groundcover, about 0.5m tall and 2m wide, with fine slender foliage and pinkish-red flowers tipped in lime-yellow. The blooms open at the end of the stems through spring, and often again at other times of the year. It cascades down banks and over walls, and it handles clay and alkaline soil better than most grevilleas.

Why you'll love it

• A long spring show. Round pink-red flower heads with lime-yellow tips crown the stems in spring, with repeat flowers through the year.
• More soil flexibility than most grevilleas. It should tolerate alkaline soil, and it grows in clay, which most grevilleas will not.
• Works as a living mulch. The dense cover suppresses weeds, holds moisture in the soil and keeps the roots of larger plants cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
• Food for honeyeaters. The flowers lure local honeyeaters in for a feed, which suits a native or wildlife garden.
• Frost tolerant. Once established it tolerates frost.

Where it works best

Banks and slopes. Plant 1m apart across the slope. The long stems hold the soil together and cover it within a few seasons.

Retaining walls. Set plants along the top of a wall and the stems trail over the edge, softening hard lines.

Coastal and native gardens. The parent species grows along the Western Australian coast, and Silk Carpet fits coastal and native plantings well.

Growing Silk Carpet Grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It suits Mediterranean, warm temperate, cool temperate and subtropical gardens, and established plants tolerate frost.

Soil. Free-draining soil. Unlike most grevilleas it should tolerate alkaline soil and grows in clay, though a pH test is worth doing on limy ground. The parent species has vigorous roots, so keep it away from pipes.

Water and feed. Water 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 keep it neat and dense.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Silk Carpet Grevillea as tube stock (a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly) and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. For a long bank, tubes are the cheapest way to cover ground, and the 140mm pots give you a head start where you want cover sooner.

Our tube stock is grown for us and is not always available. When the tube shows as sold out, there is none at the moment, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is back.

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 all our grevilleas
• The grevillea care guide, including the phosphorus rule
• More groundcover plants
• Plants for retaining walls

Common questions

Can I plant Silk Carpet in clay or limy soil?

It grows in clay, and the species should tolerate alkaline soil, unlike many grevilleas. Test the pH if your ground is very limy, and plant on a slight mound where clay holds water.

Will the roots damage pipes?

The parent species has vigorous roots, so keep Silk Carpet away from pipes, drains and paved edges.

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 1m apart for a dense groundcover. Each plant reaches about 2m wide, so the gaps fill quickly.