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Grevillea ‘Allyn Radiance’ is a prostrate shrub, growing to about 0.3 metres tall by 1.5 metres wide.
It is reportedly a cultivar borne from a deliberate cross between two cultivars: G. juniperina ‘Rubra’ and G. juniperina ‘Aurea’, developed by Riverdene Nurseries, East Gresford in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.
Leaves are linear, lanceolate, about 15 millimetres long by about 1 mm wide, and crowned with a sharp point.
A grevillea inflorescence is technically a cluster of paired flowers, termed a conflorescence with the overall structure forming a raceme-like appearance. Grevillea species exhibit 3 main inflorescence structures:
1. A cylindrical to ovoid raceme (with flowers emerging around a 360° radius)
2. A single-sided raceme (with flowers produced on only one side, resembling a tooth-brush)
3. A condensed or clustered raceme (usually as long as it is wide, with species referred to as the “spider-flowers”)
Grevillea produce the inflorescences at the terminals, beyond the foliage, which differs to the closely related Hakea.
This cultivar is a spider-flower type. The inflorescences are red to dark red and carried in dense clusters, about 4 cm wide by 3 cm across, carried mainly from July to February with sporadic blooming at other times.
Individual flowers are composed of 1 carpel (female part) where the style and stigma protrude out; 4 stamens hidden away in the perianth; and the perianth (petals and sepals collectively) which connects to a pedicel. Proteaceae flowers do not have any discernible petals or sepals (having only one whorl) and so these are referred to as “tepals” of which there are 4.
In this cultivar, the carpels are red, to about 20 mm long. The perianths are also red.
Grevillea ‘Allyn Radiance’ has proved to be hardy and free flowering in our cold climate garden. This hardy hybrid could be grown under shrubs or cascading down embankments. Occasional tip pruning will improve foliage density.
Best grown in full sun to part shade on a well-draining soil. Will tolerate clay soils provided drainage is adequate.
All cultivars must be propagated by cuttings to remain ‘true-to-type’.
Grevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants native to rainforest and more open habitats in Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Sulawesi and other Indonesian islands east of the Wallace Line. NSW currently has about 85 species although with a lot of subspecies and some informal taxa recognised.
Grevillea flowers were a traditional favourite among First Nations Peoples for their sweet nectar. This could be shaken onto the hand to enjoy, or into a coolamon with a little water to make a sweet drink. They might be referred to as the original “bush lollies”.
Most Grevillea species will regenerate from seed after fire but can produce coppicing shoots.
Grevillea – was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville (1749-1809), an 18th-century patron of botany and co-founder of the Royal Horticultural Society. He was also a British antiquarian, collector and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1790.
‘Allyn Radiance’ – named for the Allyn River which is located close to the nursery that produced this cultivar.
Australian National Botanic Gardens – Grevillea ‘Allyn Radiance’ information page https://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/x/1465