| Grevillea alpina | ||||||||||
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| Grevillea alpina Lindl. | ||||||||||
The Australian flowering shrub Grevillea alpina has several common names, including mountain grevillea, alpine grevillea, and cat's claws. It is not limited to alpine environments, and in fact is less common at high elevation than low. The species is variable in appearance, with five general forms described: small-flowered, Grampians, Northern Victorian, Goldfields, and Southern Hills forms. It is found in dry forests and woodlands across Victoria and into neighbouring states.
Some forms of the plant are low to the ground, and some become a spreading shrub. The flowers come in many colors, from white to green to shades of red and pink, or a pattern of several colors. The curled or rounded blossom is 1 to 3 centimeters in width. G. alpina grows best in dry environments and does not tolerate excess moisture well. It is attractive to nectar-feeding insects and birds.