Grevillea Clearview David

Grevillea rosmarinifolia Clearview David is a particularly floriferous cultivar that has a profusion of magnificent scarlet red, spider-like flowers appearing along the branches from February until the end of spring. In mild climates, it even blooms again later in the season, in late autumn. Perfectly adapted to coastal areas it is a precious bush for seaside gardens, as its foliage can withstand sea spray.

Grevillea is a shrub native to Australia, from the family of Proteaceae, known for plants with some of the most spectacular flowerings in the world, but often difficult to grow. Relatively small (about 3-4 cm (1.2-1.6 in)), the flowers of this Clearview David variety are petal-less, the styles form a graceful rounded shape while the stamens burst out, evoking the posture of certain spiders. Mostly bright red, they are actually bi-coloured, with a creamy white underside. These flowers illuminate the foliage from which they stand out due to their abundance, as well as the contrast of colour and shape. The leaves are short (2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in)) and thin (3 mm (0.1 in)), in the shape of simple needles, a beautiful dark green which contrasts with the sophisticated aesthetics of the flowers. The foliage is slightly prickly to the touch, but less so than in its cousin, the Grevillea juniperina. With rapid growth, this shrub naturally takes on a ball-shaped habit, reaching about 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) in all directions, or even 2 m (6 ft 7 in) high in mild climate regions, where it can be used as a hedge. The bush is very resistant to summer drought and adapts easily to poor soil (especially low in phosphorus, an element it does not appreciate). Once well established, it can withstand dry cold temperatures of about -10°C (14 °F) (but will suffer earlier in humid conditions). As a true Proteaceae, the Grevillea Clearview David dislikes active limestone, which causes chlorosis of the foliage, changing it from a beautiful bright green to a sickly yellow. A neutral to acidic, well-draining, even dry soil, poor in phosphorus, a climate without intense or prolonged cold and exposure to sunlight are the keys to its success.

Due to its soil and climate requirements, Grevillea Clearview David will perfectly associate with other members of its family, such as the Leucadendron Safari Sunset (with purple foliage, therefore interesting rendering) in mild climates. To create a contrast of flower colour, consider Fremontodendron with its dazzling yellow flowering, Cistus ladanifer with white flowers, or Teucrium fruticans (blue).
Acacia podalyriifolia (moutteana) with its very architectural grey-blue foliage and yellow winter flowering will be an ideal companion. Having the same characteristics (cultural needs, growth rate, etc.) as this Grevillea, it will be good to plant it in the background to create an original scene and benefit from a permanent spectacle of shapes and colours!

The genus Grevillea was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville, one of the co-founders of the prestigious British Royal Horticulture Society (RHS), and a patron of botany. The first representatives of grevilleas were introduced to Europe as early as the late 18th century.