Pruning Grevilleas
Grevilleas are by far the most popular flowering Australian native plant grown in gardens today, 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!
Don demonstrated pruning techniques on Grevillea ‘Geisha’ – a hybrid from a ‘Robyn Gordon’ type grevillea that is very long flowering. He also looked at Grevillea ‘Coconut Ice’, which is long flowering, and has red toothbrush flowers (similar to ‘Robyn Gordon’ but lighter) on a 1-1.5m (3-5′) shrub.
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 prune all your grevilleas at once. Stagger the pruning over several weeks so that the birds will have a constant supply of nectar. Grevilleas need to be treated like rose bushes, not in terms of fertilising but in terms of pruning. Don’t be afraid to get stuck in and prune off as much as 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 – more will soon come. Grevilleas only flower more prolifically when pruned regularly. Some people are allergic to contact with grevilleas, so wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning. Don also recommends using a long handled pruner, so you can prune while still keeping your distance from the plant.
Further information
For full details on how to prune all the plants in your garden, see the ‘Burke’s Backyard Guide to Pruning’ (available by sending a cheque for $3.85 to ACP Direct, Burke’s Backyard Reply Paid 3508, Sydney, NSW, 2001, or phone 13 61 16).