Grevillea Robusta, Silver Oak, Silk Oak - 0.5 kg Seeds

Silver Oak or Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta) is a tall, fast-growing evergreen with fern-like, silvery-backed foliage and showy golden-orange flower combs in spring. The largest species in its genus, it is a familiar avenue and plantation tree far beyond its Australian home.

In India it is planted extensively as a shade and nurse tree in the tea and coffee estates of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiris, as well as for avenues, windbreaks and farm timber. It yields useful light timber for furniture, plywood and packing cases, gives quick shade and shelter, tolerates poor soils and some drought, and its nectar-rich flowers attract birds, bees and butterflies.

• Family: Proteaceae
• Native region: eastern Australia
• Mature height: 18–35 m
• Growth rate: fast

The thin, papery, winged seeds need no special pre-treatment but germinate best when fresh; sow them shallowly in trays of well-drained, sterile mix, barely covering with fine soil. Keep evenly moist and warm (20–28 °C) under light shade, with seedlings appearing in about 14–21 days. Prick out into polybags once a few leaves form and harden off before field planting at the onset of the rains.