Bonte Farm
Grevillea 'Kings Rainbow': A Burst of Color, Hardy Beauty
Grevillea 'Kings Rainbow': A Burst of Color, Hardy Beauty
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🌈 Grevillea 'Kings Rainbow': The Compact, Multi-Colored Hummingbird Magnet
The Grevillea 'Kings Rainbow' is a spectacular, compact Australian native shrub celebrated for its ever-changing, multi-hued flowers and handsome, finely divided foliage. This outstanding hybrid delivers a prolonged and heavy bloom of large, toothbrush-style flowers that shift color as they mature, displaying a stunning mix of creamy white, sunset pink, and vibrant red simultaneously. As a drought-tolerant and low-maintenance specimen, 'Kings Rainbow' is an essential choice for Mediterranean, native, and water-wise gardens. Its dense, tidy habit makes it perfect for borders, containers, and as a featured specimen that provides consistent year-round structure and attracts hummingbirds and nectar-feeding birds.1
Botanical Characteristics
|
Characteristic |
Detail |
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Scientific Name |
Grevillea 'Kings Rainbow' (Hybrid Cultivar) |
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Common Names |
Grevillea, Spider Flower (common genus name), Kings Rainbow Grevillea. |
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Growth Habit |
A dense, mounding, evergreen shrub with a neat, compact habit, making it easier to fit into smaller garden spaces. |
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Foliage |
Features attractive, deeply divided, fern-like leaves that are typically deep green above and lighter below, providing rich texture. |
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Flowers |
Large, dense, toothbrush-style racemes. The flowers are multi-toned, featuring hues from creamy white to pink and red on the same plant, creating a 'rainbow' effect. |
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Flowering Season |
Known for its extended flowering period, often blooming heavily from late fall through spring in mild climates, with sporadic blooms year-round. |
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Scent |
Flowers produce abundant nectar which attracts wildlife, though the blooms themselves are not intensely fragrant to humans. |
Mature Size
'Kings Rainbow' is a moderate, space-saving Grevillea ideal for modern gardens.2
- Height: Typically reaches 3–5 feet (0.9–1.5 meters) tall.
- Spread: Achieves a dense, manageable 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 meters) spread.
- Its compact and mounding form requires minimal effort to maintain its shape.
USDA Hardiness Zone
This hybrid is reliably hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 9–11. It performs best in hot, dry-summer climates and, while tolerant of light frost, requires protection from prolonged freezing temperatures. It is well-suited for coastal and Mediterranean climates.
Cultivation and Care
|
Aspect |
Care Instructions |
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Sunlight |
Thrives in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) to maximize flowering and maintain dense growth. |
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Soil |
Essential: Requires perfectly well-drained soil. Tolerates a wide range of soil types, including sandy or gravelly, but is extremely intolerant of wet feet and heavy clay. |
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Water |
Highly drought-tolerant once established. Water deeply during the first year. Mature plants are low-water and only require occasional deep watering during extended dry periods. |
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Fertilizer |
Crucial: Absolutely AVOID all high-phosphorus fertilizers. Like other Proteaceae, this plant is highly sensitive to phosphorus. Use a specialized low-phosphorus formula for native plants or none at all. |
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Pruning |
Benefits from light pruning after the main flowering flush to remove spent blooms and encourage a denser, tidier shape. Pruning for shape is well tolerated. |
Landscape Use
- Feature Plant: Excellent as a specimen due to its unique bi-colored flowers and fine texture.3
- Container Gardening: The compact size makes it perfect for large pots on patios and balconies.
- Border Plant: Ideal for mass planting along sunny borders or raised beds.
- Xeriscape Design: A cornerstone plant for low-water, water-wise, and native Australian-themed landscapes.
Wildlife Attraction
The nectar-rich flowers are a powerful attractant for nectar-feeding birds, especially hummingbirds in North America, and various bees and beneficial insects.4 Planting 'Kings Rainbow' is a great way to support wildlife-friendly gardening.
Pest and Disease Resistance
Grevillea 'Kings Rainbow' is typically a hardy and robust plant that is highly resistant to most common pests.5 The primary threat is fungal root rot, which is a direct consequence of poor soil drainage or overwatering—a problem easily prevented by correct planting.
Propagation
To ensure the resulting plant maintains the specific, desirable features and multi-colored bloom of the 'Kings Rainbow' cultivar, propagation must be carried out using vegetative methods. Semi-hardwood cuttings are the preferred method, generally taken in late spring or summer. Seed propagation is not recommended as it will not grow true to the parent plant.
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