Bronze Rambler grevillea

Sun

Full sun for dense growth and the most flowers; tolerates light partial shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then deeply during prolonged dry spells. Allow the soil to dry partly between waterings; avoid persistently wet ground.

Soil

Well-drained, low-phosphorus soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Sandy or gravelly soil suits it; improve drainage or use a raised bed on heavy clay.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

10-16 ft (3-5 m)

Flowers

Reddish-purple toothbrush-shaped flower clusters, mainly in spring and summer, with scattered flowers at other times in mild climates.

Foliage

Evergreen. Deeply divided green leaves with conspicuous bronze new growth; dense, spreading branches cover the ground.

Growth

Fast in warm conditions once established.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.4 ft (0.11 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.32 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Water through the first growing season, checking that the root zone drains freely.
• Once established, give a deep watering during extended drought rather than frequent light sprinkling.
• If feeding is needed, use a low-phosphorus fertiliser labelled for grevilleas or phosphorus-sensitive Australian native plants.
• Keep a light mulch over the root area, leaving the stem bases clear.
• Allow for its mature width and protect young plants from frost and cold, drying winds.

Pruning. Trim spreading shoots after the main flowering flush to keep the plant within bounds and encourage dense growth. Cut back into leafy growth rather than bare old wood, which may not reshoot reliably.

Spring

Plant after the risk of damaging frost has passed; water thoroughly and mulch lightly.

Spring

If growth is weak and feeding is needed, apply a low-phosphorus native-plant fertiliser at the label rate.

Summer

Water establishing plants deeply and check for wilting during prolonged dry weather.

Late summer

After the main flowering flush, shorten shoots that are covering paths or neighbouring plants.

Autumn

Clear fallen debris from the crown and check that water drains away before wetter weather.

Winter

Protect young plants during brief frosts; postpone pruning frost-damaged shoots until spring.

• Cover a sunny bank with a broad evergreen mat, allowing enough space to avoid repeated clipping.
• Let branches spill over a low retaining wall, keeping them clear of paths.
• Use beneath widely spaced, drought-tolerant shrubs where sunlight reaches the ground.
• Combine with upright grasses and strappy-leaved plants for contrasting foliage shapes.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Coastal, Desert / xeriscape, Wildlife garden, Low-maintenance and Dry gravel garden.

Plant it with: Kangaroo paw, Coastal rosemary, Mat rush, Flax lily and Bottlebrush.

Wildlife: Nectar-rich flowers attract nectar-feeding birds in Australia and may also be visited by bees and other insects. Dense growth can provide shelter for small animals.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage, reduce irrigation and avoid planting in low spots where water collects; badly affected plants may need replacing.
• Yellowing or scorched leaves from phosphorus-rich fertiliser: stop feeding with general-purpose products and use only a suitable low-phosphorus formulation if needed.
• Frost damage: shelter young plants with horticultural fleece during cold snaps and remove dead growth once spring growth begins.
• Sparse or overextended growth: provide more sun where possible and lightly trim leafy shoots after flowering rather than cutting hard into bare stems.

Not known to be poisonous to cats, dogs, horses or people, although ingestion information for this cultivar is limited and it should not be eaten. Grevillea foliage and sap can cause contact dermatitis in susceptible people; wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning.

• Prostrate juniper-leaf grevillea (Grevillea juniperina, prostrate forms)

  These also make spreading evergreen groundcovers, but have narrow, prickly, needle-like leaves rather than the broad, deeply divided leaves of 'Bronze Rambler'.

Grevillea honours Charles Francis Greville, a British plant collector, while 'Bronze Rambler' describes the bronze new foliage and spreading habit.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings of healthy, non-flowering shoots in late summer and root them in a free-draining propagation mix. Cuttings preserve the cultivar; seedlings will not reliably come true.

Accepted botanical name

Grevillea

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.