My claim to fame
Posted: November 7th, 2016, 2:26 pm
I am prompted by the bad rap that grevilleas have received here to relate my experience over the last 13 years and to state my claim to fame: I have more bonsai grevilleas than anyone else in the whole world! This is also my challenge to you – show that you have more!
Sure, they can be tricky, some more so than others, but some of the conifers are tricky, too – it’s just that we have a longer history of use and we have learnt more about their peculiarities. Over the next few months I will share with you my experience of the grevilleas I have worked on, some successfully, some not – yet. For starters, here is the list of species/cultivars I have worked with and the year of purchase (all as small nursery stock) for each one; ‘(dec)’ indicates those that have died, generally, I think, from being too wet.
Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Scarlet Sprite’: 2003; 2010; 2012
G. juniperina ‘Pink Lady’ 2004
G curviloba 2009
G australis three forms: upright, spreading (dec), ‘Hollybank’ (dec) - all 2005; ‘Hollybank’ x 2 2016
G obtusifolia ‘Gingin Gem’ 2012; 2015
G. iaspicola 2013
G jephcottii 2013 (dec)
G rupicola ‘Jump N Jack’ 2012
G. juniperina ‘New Blood’ 2013
G. ‘Winparra Gem’ (purported G. thelemanniana and G. olivacea hybrid); 2002 (dec)
G. diminuta 2008 (dec); 2016
G. ‘Poorinda Jennifer Joy’ (possible hybrid between Grevillea speciose and Grevillea linearifolia) 2016
Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Valley Queen 2008 (dec)
G. lanigera ‘Honeyeater Heaven’ 2009
G ‘Amethyst (G. confertifolia x G. sericea) 2016
G. semperflorens ‘Mallee Dawn’ 2016
G. juniperina ‘John Evans’ 2016
The biggest limitation I have found is that grevilleas do not shoot back on bare wood, although they may do so sporadically on young wood. I have re-potted in autumn and spring with no problem. I now take pains to avoid keeping them too wet, as my usual combination of potting mix, automatic watering system and sense of panic when plants look dry have tended to do. It is essential to trim after flowering – sometimes as hard as I dare – to keep them in the desired shape. This year I have found the birds a problem – not just after the nectar but seem to be eating the flower buds as well. Since I reverted to using Thrive Fruit and Flowers for the grevilleas they have flowered better than when I used Powerfeed. Some are OK to wire and scars heal over OK – others do not heal so well and are very unforgiving of wire left on for too long. I always leave a stub now when cutting off a branch.
Sure, they can be tricky, some more so than others, but some of the conifers are tricky, too – it’s just that we have a longer history of use and we have learnt more about their peculiarities. Over the next few months I will share with you my experience of the grevilleas I have worked on, some successfully, some not – yet. For starters, here is the list of species/cultivars I have worked with and the year of purchase (all as small nursery stock) for each one; ‘(dec)’ indicates those that have died, generally, I think, from being too wet.
Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Scarlet Sprite’: 2003; 2010; 2012
G. juniperina ‘Pink Lady’ 2004
G curviloba 2009
G australis three forms: upright, spreading (dec), ‘Hollybank’ (dec) - all 2005; ‘Hollybank’ x 2 2016
G obtusifolia ‘Gingin Gem’ 2012; 2015
G. iaspicola 2013
G jephcottii 2013 (dec)
G rupicola ‘Jump N Jack’ 2012
G. juniperina ‘New Blood’ 2013
G. ‘Winparra Gem’ (purported G. thelemanniana and G. olivacea hybrid); 2002 (dec)
G. diminuta 2008 (dec); 2016
G. ‘Poorinda Jennifer Joy’ (possible hybrid between Grevillea speciose and Grevillea linearifolia) 2016
Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Valley Queen 2008 (dec)
G. lanigera ‘Honeyeater Heaven’ 2009
G ‘Amethyst (G. confertifolia x G. sericea) 2016
G. semperflorens ‘Mallee Dawn’ 2016
G. juniperina ‘John Evans’ 2016
The biggest limitation I have found is that grevilleas do not shoot back on bare wood, although they may do so sporadically on young wood. I have re-potted in autumn and spring with no problem. I now take pains to avoid keeping them too wet, as my usual combination of potting mix, automatic watering system and sense of panic when plants look dry have tended to do. It is essential to trim after flowering – sometimes as hard as I dare – to keep them in the desired shape. This year I have found the birds a problem – not just after the nectar but seem to be eating the flower buds as well. Since I reverted to using Thrive Fruit and Flowers for the grevilleas they have flowered better than when I used Powerfeed. Some are OK to wire and scars heal over OK – others do not heal so well and are very unforgiving of wire left on for too long. I always leave a stub now when cutting off a branch.
