Open Day at Cooloola City Farm
Plant of the month is the cultivar, Grevillea ‘Coastal Glow’, a shrub to three metres with crimson toothbrush flowers that are loved by honeyeaters and occur most of the year. This rapidly-growing plant is hardy and happiest in moist, well-drained soil in full sun. As with many grevilleas, it can be rangy and a good prune will promote flowering and a denser habit.
It is salt spray resistant and frost hardy.
City Farm, opposite the Community Centre, on Tin Can Bay Road, is open to the public for plant sales on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am-3pm, 07 54862304, ccfni09@gmail.com, www.cooloolacityfarm.org
Come along to the open day at City Farm on October 3, from 9am -1pm. There will be a sausage sizzle and giveaways.
Grevilleas are blooming around our way at the moment, so it seems an opportune time to talk about these lovely plants.
Grevilleas are from the Proteaceae family and there are over 350 species and 100 subspecies, most of which are endemic to Australia.
There are many cultivars also. From tall trees like Grevillea robusta (Silky Oak), through small trees and shrubs such as Grevillea banksii, to ground covers like Grevillea ‘Forest Rambler’, grevilleas come in all shapes and sizes.
The flowers have three basic forms – spider-like, toothbrush-like or large brushes. They are nectar-rich and are therefore very attractive to birds, insects & other pollinators.
As they flower at different times, you will find a grevillea flowering no matter what the season. Grevillea foliage varies in form, but is attractive, some with needle-like or fern-like leaves.
