Grevillea Hybrid 'Carpet Layer'

Carpet Layer Grevillea / Spider Flower / Toothbrush Plant

Botanical Name: Grevillea hybrid 'Carpet Layer'
Family: Proteaceae
Origin: Australia (cultivar selection, likely WA parentage)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub/groundcover

Overview

A prostrate, weed-suppressing grevillea that races across banks and garden edges, ‘Carpet Layer’ forms a dense, low mat of fine foliage topped with nectar-rich red to deep-pink “toothbrush” flowers for months. Perfect for banks, rockeries, verge plantings and second-line coastal sites in South Australia — low water, high colour, and bird-magnet blooms.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 0.2–0.4 m H × 2–4 m W (low, spreading carpet)
• Growth Rate: 20-40 cm (spread) per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Fine, evergreen grey-green leaves; dense, clip-responsive habit
• Flowers: Nectar-rich “toothbrush” clusters in red to deep pink; long display
• Seasonal Interest: Late winter–spring peak, with spot flowers through the year in mild/coastal sites
• Wildlife Value: Attracts honeyeaters and native bees; dense cover shelters small fauna
• Tolerance: Drought-tolerant (once established), heat-tolerant, wind-tolerant, second-line coastal-tolerant; light frost (protect from hard frost); clay-tolerant with drainage
• Planting Density: Mass planting: 1 plant per 2–3 m² (tight carpet). Edges/drifts: 1 per 1–2 m
• Pet Friendly: Generally non-toxic; sap/leaves may irritate sensitive skin — discourage chewing

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun to light part shade (best flowering in sun)
• Soil: Well-drained sandy or loam soils; improved clay only with excellent drainage; avoid waterlogging; use low-phosphorus native fertiliser
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 10–14 days in summer; monthly in winter if dry
• Maintenance: Mulch in spring; light tip-prune after flowering to keep dense (avoid cutting into old bare wood); feed lightly with native (low-P) fertiliser in early spring
• Lifespan: 10–20+ years
• Climate Zones: Suited to temperate and Mediterranean SA gardens, including coastal areas (away from direct salt spray)
• Soil pH: Slightly acid to neutral; tolerates mildly alkaline sandy/limestone soils with drainage

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Privacy screening and boundary hedges with a refined finish
• Mass plant as living mulch on banks/retaining walls to suppress weeds
• Spill over rockeries, walls and large pots for cascading colour

Why You Will Love It

A set-and-forget carpet grevillea: tough, water-wise and bird-luring, with months of red-pink blooms and minimal upkeep — perfect for SA gardens needing beauty, coverage and resilience.