Grevillea robusta

Grevillea robusta : Silky Oak - Mgrivea
Description : An Australian tree. A large, straight tree (20m) with fern-like leaves with underside silver-grey.
Uses : Timber, firewood/charcoal, fodder, nectar.
Propagation : From seed, they are papery tin discs. Difficult to collect because once the pods are ripe, the seed falls. There are about 80 000 viable seeds per kg. Germination of fresh seed is good >50%. Unless refrigerated, seed remains viable for only 3 months. I have gathered fallen seed - not bad if ground is bare. Small wildlings <80mm>
Management : Newly established seedling a vulnerable to termite attack. Pruned trees give good timber and pollarding is often carried out to provide light for crops beneath and when taking fodder in lean times.
Grevillea is a strong, versatile timber but it is a pity it is susceptible to termite attack. Chemical treatment may be helpful and waste engine oil is painted on to it for protection. This spoils the grain which is actually beautiful.
To control termite when first planted out, I mixed 1kg of chillies in 20 litres of water. (I could get powder from Incofin who produce seed and the powder is a residue. Don't breathe the powder in - it more than clears the sinuses!) Add to the mix a generous portion of Neem oil and the job is done! Chillies have this property of being hot and transfers through the plant systemically. You just water the plant with the mixture.
This was the most requested plant in the nursery! Why? Money can be made from it!
Termites cover their activities by packing mud over their excavations and you don't notice the damage until you check it and I have found all the wood has been replaced by mud! I have repaired schools so damaged.
Losses of Grevillea plantings could be man-made so I had to carry out appropriate education. Children picked the young branches to use as toothbrushes! To them it was a cheap and effective method of dental care. At all schools, a duty class arrives 1/2 an hour early to clean the school and sweep the yard. With no brooms available, tree branches are used. This can decimate school plantings.
I was common to see young men sawing timber in the old fashioned pits that actually produce good quality timber. Of late chainsaws have arrived and make a surprisingly good job of doing something they were not designed to do. But it wastes a lot of wood.
The wood is versatile - I saw a guy using a panga (bush knife) to make scallops in school desks - that is skillful!
We had some large trees in out yard and the monkeys used to feed on the flowers that were full of nectar. They had their aerial path and checked out the mango tree, the Albizzia and Newtonia trees as well as the Avocado. Monkeys are wasteful and eat young shoots unripe fruit and insects living there. These were Sykes Monkeys and playful they were!