20 Graines Chêne soyeux d'Australie, Grevillea robusta

Australian silky oak, Grevillea Robusta |

Grevillea Robusta, commonly called the Australian Australian oak or Gray Oak, is the largest representative of the genre Grevillea.

20 Seeds - direct sowing at 20/25 ° C - Rusticity: - 5 ° C

It is a evergreen tree, rapidly growing, up to 30 meters high2.

The leaves are dark green on the bottom, white or rusty gray below. Their Limbe being deeply cut to the central rib, the leaves, however simple, seem to give the appearance of bipenné leaves. They generally measure 15 to 30 cm long2.

The Inflorescences, which appear in the spring, are Racèmes yellow-orange which measure between 8 and 15 centimeters long. These are the long Stigmates curved flowers which give the inflorescence its appearance of a bottle brush2. The flowers are so nectarifers in New Caledonia, they have the reputation of fatally intoxicating the bees and the Rousses3.

The seeds mature at the end of winter and early spring. The fruits are Déhiscent Capsules Dark brown leather color, about 2 cm long, with one or two flat winged seeds. The species is reproduced exclusively by anemochia2.

Flowers are used for honey production. In New Caledonia, where the species was introduced in 19024, its wood is used as a timber2 and in cabinetmaking3. It was imported into this archipelago for forestry and as an ornamental plant2,3. The species is used as alignment tree in certain municipalities in the south of France such as Vallauris.

In New Caledonia, the species presents a moderate invasive character, which remains to be monitored due to the existence of risks of hybridization with endemic species that can push on ultramafic soils (maquis mining)4. Nurses have already been formed in the center and on the east coast of Grande Terre2, as well as in urban areas (Sémaphore zone)3.

The species produces an allelopathic substance which harms the growth of other surrounding plant species2.

 Contents subject to the CC-BY-SA 3.0license. Source : Article Grevillea Robusta by Wikipedia in French (Authors)