Grevillea lanigera 

Scientific name: Grevillea lanigera 

Author: Cunn. ex R. Br.

Common name: Woolly Grevillea

Location

On the south side of the Banksia Garden, in Bed 150, you will find a mass of these plants, covering the ground in flowers.

This unobtrusive, low-growing shrub can be found in New South Wales and Victoria, from near Bathurst south to Wilson's Promontory. Woolly Grevillea gets its name from the hairy leaves and branches, which give the plant a grey colour.

The Woolly Grevillea has a wide natural distribution, from eucalypt woodlands and forests to subalpine habitats and coastal heaths. It can also thrive in a variety of soils. It provides a good groundcover or small screen and will withstand coastal exposure.

There are many different forms of the Woolly Grevillea, including some that are very prostrate, such as that shown here, and flower colours which range from cream or yellow through to orange, red or pink. It hybridises readily with other Grevillea species such as Crimson Grevillea (G. polybractea) and Rosemary Grevillea (G. rosmarinifolia), and some of these hybrids are being selected for the nursery.

Nectar-feeding birds will be attracted by the flowers, which continue throughout the year, but particularly in winter and spring.