Don’s Expert Answers: TREE IDENTIFICATION

Question From:
in BEXLEY, BEXLEY New South Wales

Nature of problem:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Type of Plant (if known):
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself):
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

How often do you water the plant:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

How long since you planted it:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Is the plant indoors or outdoors:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Is the plant in a pot or in the ground:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

What other treatments have you given the plant:
TREE IDENTIFICATION

Upload photo if available:

Other Comments:
Dear Don and team,

I came across your website while doing some research on Grevillea trees. I’d like to start my message by thanking you for your help and support provided to the community.

There has been a small plant in my pot and it’s only recently when it started fast growing into a small tree, as its root has finally cracked through the pot and also the gap of the concrete underneath. I have attached a photo of it.

I would like to plant it in my backyard but need to identify it so I know it’s not going to grow too large.

After some initial investigation, I came to the conclusion that it might be one of the Grevillea varieties. However, I read that some varieties can grow up to 40 meters tall. It would be greatly appreciated if you were able to shed some light on it.

Thank you kindly for your time.

Kind regards,

Corey

Answer:
Hi Corey, Thanks for your kind words. Your plant is a Grevillea banksii hybrid. It would grow about 3-5m tall if it was growing in the ground. So it is a medium-sized shrub. There are well over 200 hybrids of this type around: their winged seeds blow in the wind and grow where they land. Their roots pose no threat to concrete etc. Your one is competing with the succulents in the pot, but this seems OK so far. I suggest that you wait 1-2 years until it flowers, to see if it is a good new variety. Current G banksii hybrids come in many flower colours such as white, red, orange, pink and multi-coloured. Grevilleas hate root disturbance and yours might die during transplanting. My suggestion is that you plant the grevillea and all other plants in the pot together as a single unit into the ground in Autumn (remove them from the pot first!). Separating the plants will kill the grevillea. Good luck, Don