Prickly spider flower

Sun

Full sun for the most flowers; tolerates light shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then occasionally during prolonged dry spells. Avoid persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained, preferably slightly acidic to neutral soil with low phosphorus levels. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal; heavy clay needs a raised planting position.

Height

1-10 ft (0.3-3 m), depending on the form

Spread

3-10 ft (0.9-3 m), depending on the form

Flowers

Mainly late winter through spring, with scattered flowers at other times in mild climates. Flowers may be red, orange, yellow or pink, depending on the form.

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, stiff, green leaves with sharp points, densely arranged along the stems.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

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

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

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

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

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.4 ft (0.73 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (0.96 m)

4. After 3 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

5. After 5 years

   5 ft (1.7 m)

   full size

About 5 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

Native to

Australia

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply during the first growing season, letting the soil begin to dry between waterings.
• Keep established plants on the dry side rather than watering little and often.
• Avoid manure and ordinary high-phosphorus fertilisers; use a low-phosphorus feed suitable for Australian native plants only if needed.
• Apply a light mulch, keeping it clear of the stem base.
• Choose shelter from cold winds near the colder end of its range; protect container plants from hard frost.

Pruning. Lightly trim after the main spring flowering to encourage branching, and remove dead or damaged stems as needed. Keep cuts within leafy growth rather than cutting hard into old, bare wood.

Spring

Plant after hard frosts in cooler regions, choosing a sunny position with excellent drainage.

Late spring

Lightly trim after the main flowering flush to keep the shrub dense.

Summer

Check new plants during dry weather and water deeply when the root zone is drying out.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Plant in mild, frost-light climates while the soil is warm; check that winter rain can drain away.

Winter

Protect young plants from severe frost and avoid leaving pots standing in water.

• Use upright forms as an informal, prickly boundary hedge away from paths.
• Plant spreading forms on sunny banks for low evergreen cover.
• Combine with westringia and mat rushes in a dry Australian-native planting.
• Place near a sheltered seating area, but beyond brushing distance, to watch nectar-feeding birds.

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

Plant it with: Coastal rosemary, Spiny-headed mat rush, Kangaroo paw, Rock rose and Lavender.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for honeyeaters in Australia and other nectar-feeding birds where present, as well as visiting insects. Dense, prickly growth offers shelter for small birds.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage before planting, avoid overwatering and remove badly affected plants.
• Yellowing leaves and poor growth after feeding: excess phosphorus or alkaline soil may be responsible; stop unsuitable fertilisers and check soil pH.
• Frost damage: choose a sheltered site and wait until spring growth begins before removing damaged shoots.
• Scale insects: inspect stems and leaf undersides, remove small infestations by hand and use a labelled horticultural oil if necessary.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people, although species-specific poisoning information is limited. The sharp leaves can puncture skin, and contact with grevillea foliage or sap may cause dermatitis in sensitive people; wear gloves when pruning.

• Rosemary grevillea (Grevillea rosmarinifolia)

  Its rosemary-like leaves usually have strongly rolled-under edges and conspicuously pale, hairy undersides. Prickly spider flower generally has more rigid, sharply pointed leaves, though variable forms can be difficult…

• Common juniper (Juniperus communis)

  Juniper has needles typically arranged in whorls of three, often with a broad white band above, and produces berry-like cones rather than spider-like flowers.

Grevillea honours Charles Francis Greville, a British plant collector, and juniperina means juniper-like, referring to the narrow, pointed leaves.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, using a free-draining propagation mix. Seed can be slow and erratic to germinate, and seedlings may differ from the parent; use cuttings to preserve a selected form.

Accepted botanical name

Grevillea juniperina

Native range

New South Wales and Queensland.

Measured

Average height 160 cm.

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