Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' (Robyn Gordon Grevillea)

Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon', commonly known as Robyn Gordon Grevillea, is one of Australia's most popular flowering native shrubs, valued for its spectacular red spider-like flowers, long flowering season, and ability to attract birds and pollinators. This award-winning hybrid combines outstanding ornamental appeal with excellent garden performance, making it a favourite for residential gardens, commercial landscapes, and native planting schemes.

Producing masses of vibrant red flowers throughout most of the year, Robyn Gordon provides continuous colour while attracting nectar-feeding birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Its dense green foliage forms a naturally rounded shrub that works equally well as a feature plant, hedge, screening plant, or mass planting.

Adaptable, drought tolerant, and relatively low maintenance, this iconic Australian native is suitable for a wide range of climates and landscape styles.

Key Features

Masses of vibrant red spider flowers

Extended flowering season throughout most of the year

Attracts birds, bees, and butterflies

Australian native plant

Excellent feature, hedge, or screening shrub

Drought tolerant once established

Low-maintenance and reliable

Suitable for residential and commercial landscapes

Growth Habit and Size

Robyn Gordon Grevillea develops into a dense, rounded shrub with fine-textured evergreen foliage.

Mature plants typically reach between 1.5 and 2 metres in height and 1.5 to 3 metres in width, depending on growing conditions and pruning.

Growth is moderate to fast, particularly during warmer months.

Its naturally bushy habit makes it suitable for informal hedging, screening, and feature planting.

Care Requirements

Light

Performs best in full sun.

Maximum flowering occurs when planted in an open sunny position with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.

Watering

Water regularly during establishment.

Once established, Robyn Gordon Grevillea is highly drought tolerant and requires only occasional watering during prolonged dry periods.

Avoid excessive watering and poorly drained conditions.

Soil

Prefers well-draining soil.

Performs well in sandy, loamy, and free-draining soils.

Avoid heavy clay soils and areas prone to waterlogging.

Temperature and Humidity

Thrives in temperate, subtropical, and coastal climates.

Tolerates heat, humidity, and periods of dry weather.

Light frost may be tolerated once established.

Maintenance

Prune lightly after flowering to encourage dense growth and continuous flowering.

Remove any damaged or dead branches as required.

Apply a low-phosphorus native plant fertiliser during spring if needed.

Avoid excessive fertiliser applications, particularly products high in phosphorus.

Mulching helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds.

Common Issues

Poor Flowering

Usually caused by insufficient sunlight, excessive shade, or over-fertilising.

Yellow Leaves

May indicate poor drainage, excessive watering, or nutrient imbalance.

Leggy Growth

Can occur if pruning is neglected or plants are grown in partial shade.

Root Problems

Most commonly associated with poorly drained soils.

Pest Problems

Generally pest resistant, although occasional scale insects may appear.

Applications

Suitable for:

Feature planting

Native gardens

Bird-attracting gardens

Informal hedging

Privacy screening

Commercial landscapes

Coastal gardens

Mass planting

Pollinator-friendly gardens

Its vibrant flowers and wildlife-attracting qualities make it one of the most widely planted grevilleas in Australia.

Specification and Care Chart

Attribute	Details
Botanical Name	Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon'
Common Name	Robyn Gordon Grevillea
Plant Type	Evergreen flowering shrub
Mature Height	1.5m–2m
Mature Width	1.5m–3m
Growth Habit	Dense, rounded shrub
Growth Rate	Moderate to fast
Light Conditions	Full sun
Direct Sunlight	Required for best flowering
Watering Frequency	Low once established
Soil Type	Well-draining soil
Drainage Requirement	Essential
Temperature Range	5°C–35°C
Humidity	Tolerant
Fertiliser	Low-phosphorus native fertiliser
Maintenance Level	Low
Drought Tolerance	High once established
Coastal Tolerance	High
Frost Tolerance	Light frost tolerant
Flower Colour	Bright red
Wildlife Attraction	Birds, bees, butterflies
Pet Safety	Generally regarded as non-toxic