Grevillea X Dorothy Gordon

Dorothy Gordon grevillea

 

Grevillea X 'Dorothy Gordon'

R.Br. ex Knight 1809

pronounced: grev-ILL-ee-uh hybrid Dorothy Gordon

(Proteaceae — the waratah family)

 

common name: Dorothy Gordon grevillea

native 4This magnificent Grevillea is one of the latest to have been released, being made available only locally in Queensland and northern NSW on 26th April, 2014. It is from the Myall Park Botanic Garden near Glenmorgan, Queensland, the garden established by the late noted Grevillea grower David Gordon, and which has been responsible for three other immensely popular hybrid groups:
      • Robyn Gordon;
      • Sandra Gordon; and    
      • Merinda Gordon.

The first little plant of ‘Dorothy Gordon’ was noticed at a plant-recording session in the garden in July, 2006, caged for observation, and the surrounding plants were pruned to give the new plant room to grow. When it put out its first bloom in November, 2006, it was clear that another, and very beautiful, hybrid had developed, with pink styles and deep purple-black centres to the inflorescence. The new leaves are soft bronze, turning greener as they mature. The slow process of striking cuttings from the little plant, and then cuttings from the new plants grown from the earlier cuttings, proceeded, until there were sufficient for the plant to be released. Dorothy Gordon was David’s wife, and an excellent watercolorist, and now joins their three daughters in the list of names of the hybrids produced by this garden.

The plant photographed has been planted in the nature strip beside Barbarra Street in Picnic Bay, and, although still small, is blooming profusely. It should grow into a large compact shrub to about 3 m high and 2 m in spread, bearing many nectar-laden blooms for most of the year. These blooms will be a blessing to the honeyeaters, other birds and bees, and to the possums and other small animals who emerge at night to feed on the nectar.

The plant appears to be drought-tolerant, and will thrive on a wide range of soils, and deserves to become one of our most widely-grown Grevilleas. The flowers are useful in floral arrangements, as they last for several days. The attractive foliage is fern-like, and very similar to that of the silky oak.

 

Photographs taken in Picnic Bay 2015, 2016
Page last updated 8th January 2019