Grevillea (was Hummers)
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2000 8:49 AM
> Bill:
>
> Do you know if there are any hardy (to Zone 7) Grevillea
forms? On a visit
> to Western Hills about 15 years ago, I walked under some
tree-like forms
> that were cut into a fairly dense canopy for a path. It
was very obvious
> from the intensity of the sound of honey bees and
hummingbirds that these
> were excellent nectar sources.
>
> I have beekeeper friends that would be delighted to get
summer-blooming
> shrubs and trees, since nectar flow from shrubs and
perennials drops
> precipitously during our summers. A strong flow would go
a long way to
> stabilize hives weakened by mites. Not to mention
supporting hummingbirds
> and other pollinators.
>
> One of the reasons I grow Salvias and participate in this
list is to find
> ways to support our environment and to stimulate interest
in the same.
>
> Richard F. Dufresne
Richard,
We grow Grevillea 'Victoria' here which seems to be hardy
enough. My own plant of it up and died (the trunk started
weeping) and I am looking to replace it. They tend to form
short stocky trunks with a heavy multibranched canopy. It
is a form with silvery leaves and blooms through the fall
and early winter. It survived some cold winters in the
80's. (I can send a photo) Cuttings of it take fairly
easily.
The other one grown here is G. rosemarinifolia but
this is a more recent introduction in the last decade. Once
established, these would both survive Zone 7-8 for you in a
sheltered location.
Diane Pertson
