''Grevillea'' 'Superb' is a widely grown
grevillea
''Grevillea'', commonly known as spider flowers, is a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus ''Grevillea'' are shrubs, rarely trees, with the leaves arranged alternately along the ...
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
bred by Merv Hodge in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
. It is a hybrid of a white-flowered ''
Grevillea banksii
''Grevillea banksii'', commonly known as Banks' grevillea, Byfield waratah, red flowered silky oak and dwarf silky oak, and in Hawaii as kāhili flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is ...
'', from Queensland, and the Western Australian plant ''
G. bipinnatifida''.
[Australian Cultivar Registration Authority: ''Grevillea'' 'Superb']
/ref>
Description
A compact shrub growing to 1–2 metres high and wide with attractive green lobed leaves (similar to the cultivar 'Robyn Gordon'), its main horticultural feature is its flowering for 12 months of the year in warmer climates, such as Sydney and Queensland. The inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed ...
s are around 15 cm long by 9 cm wide and contain shades of orange, red and yellow.
Cultivation
It has been very popular in Australian gardens since the 1990s, and widely planted in public spaces as well, though now there is an interest in ever smaller garden plants. The plant produces nectar and attracts both birds and bees. It likes a sunny, well drained position, will tolerate moderate frosts and grows well in a tub. Avoid using fertilisers that are high in phosphorus.
Grevilleas, including this cultivar, can be pruned by up to one third in early spring. This cultivar can be propagated fairly easily from cuttings.[Grevillea "Superb"]
Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants
Toxicology
Along with a number of other grevilleas, this cultivar may cause allergic contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents. Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes ar ...
for certain individuals who come into contact with it.
In the Public Eye
In 2003, Australia Post
Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation, is the government business enterprise that provides postal services in Australia. The head office of Australia Post is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, which also serves as a post ...
issued a 50c stamp depicting the cultivar.Australian National Botanic Gardens - Flora Stamps: ''Grevillea'' 'Superb'
/ref>
See also
* List of Grevillea cultivars
References
Cultivars of Australian plants
Superb
Superb may refer to:
*Škoda Superb car
*, nine Royal Navy ships
*The Superb, a railroad car used by US President Warren G. Harding
* SuperB, a proposed particle physics facility in Italy
* ''Grevillea'' 'Superb'', a widely grown ''grevillea'' (s ...
Proteales of Australia
Garden plants of Australia
{{Australia-eudicot-stub