STANDARD / Grevillea 'Scortechinii'

Weeping Standard Grevillea ‘Scortechinii’

Botanical Name: Grevillea ‘Scortechinii’ — Standard (grafted/trained)
Family: Proteaceae
Origin: Australia (garden hybrid)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub—standard form (single trunk with weeping canopy)

Overview

Grevillea ‘Scortechinii’ is a refined, bird-attracting grevillea often grown as a standard, forming a graceful single-trunk tree with a soft, cascading canopy. Exceptionally well suited to Adelaide’s Mediterranean climate, it combines fine evergreen foliage with rich red, spider-style flowers that appear mainly from late winter through spring, with occasional blooms at other times of year.

The naturally weeping habit makes it ideal for use as a feature tree in courtyards, along pathways, in pots, or as a formal row where an elevated canopy is desirable. Once established, it is drought tolerant, heat hardy and low maintenance, offering strong visual impact with minimal care. Like most grevilleas, it is highly attractive to honeyeaters and other pollinators.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 1.5–2.5 m H × 1.5–2.5 m W (overall height depends on graft/stem height; canopy typically 0.8–1.2 m wide)
• Growth Rate: 30-60 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Fine-textured evergreen foliage; deep green with occasional bronze or copper tones on new growth
• Flowers: Unusually dark maroon to purplish-black spider-style blooms with pale yellow pollen tips; nectar-rich; peak flowering late winter to spring, with occasional off-season blooms.
• Fragrance: Not fragrant
• Seasonal Interest: Evergreen structure year-round with strong winter–spring flowering and attractive weeping form
• Wildlife Value: Excellent nectar source for honeyeaters, bees and other pollinators
• Tolerance: Drought tolerant once established; very heat tolerant; wind tolerant; second-line coastal tolerant; light–moderate frost hardy (protect young plants in exposed frost-prone sites)
• Planting Density: Feature or row planting: space 1.5–2.5 m apart to allow full canopy development
  
• Pet Friendly: Generally considered non-toxic; sap may irritate sensitive skin—wear gloves when pruning

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun for best flowering and canopy density; tolerates light part shade
• Soil: Well-drained sandy, loamy or improved clay soils; avoid waterlogging; use low-phosphorus native fertiliser only
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 10–14 days in summer (weekly in heatwaves); monthly in winter if dry
• Maintenance: Low — light tip-pruning after flowering to maintain canopy shape; remove crossing or internal branches; mulch annually
• Lifespan: 10–20+ years in well-drained sites
• Climate Zones: Ideal for Mediterranean and temperate South Australia — Adelaide Plains, Fleurieu Peninsula, sheltered coastal suburbs
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral; tolerates mildly alkaline soils if free draining

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Feature standard for courtyards, entrances and focal points
• Formal or semi-formal rows along paths and driveways
• Large pots for patios and alfresco spaces
• Bird-friendly native gardens with lomandra, westringia and callistemon
• Softening architectural or contemporary landscapes with movement and colour

Why You Will Love It