Pruning Grevilleas

Grevilleas are the most popular native plants in Australia, which is hardly surprising when you consider that they attract native birds and many of them flower for most of the year. The only problem is that because grevilleas are so long flowering it’s difficult to know when and how to prune them.

Grevillea ‘Golden Lyre’

Don demonstrated pruning techniques on a beautiful young specimen of Grevillea ‘Golden Lyre’, a hybrid between G. ‘Honey Gem’ and G. formosa and one of the greatest grevilleas ever produced. It grows to about 3 metres (10′) tall and 5 metres (15′) wide, with arching branches and green/yellow brush flowers in summer and autumn. It does best in the warmer zones of Australia, north from Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, but it may not be tolerant of very cold conditions.

Pruning tips

• The best time to prune grevilleas is just after their major spring flowering flush (around October in most areas). You can prune at other times, but keep in mind that if you prune in autumn you’ll be cutting off all the flower buds that would open through winter when nectar feeding birds have a tough time finding enough to eat.
• Don’t be afraid to get stuck in and prune stems up to a metre (3′) in length if necessary. The plant will produce new shoots and will soon look thicker and more attractive.
• During pruning, stand back every now and again and eyeball the plant from a distance to see how it’s shaping up.
• Don’t worry about cutting off flowers – grevilleas only flower more prolifically when pruned regularly.
• Some people are allergic to contact with grevilleas, so wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning.