Grevillea robusta (Silver oak)

Evergreen, a very successful Australian tree planted and widely used in Africa, attractive shape, foliage, and abundant flowering make it a popular choice for private and public gardens, a decorative stunner with beautiful dense, silvery fern-like foliage, a versatile tree with many uses. Wood is used for lumber, fuel, poles, and rafters. Trees over 30 years old are said to have the best wood. Timber is hard and has an attractive grain – the red-brown color and silky surface like that of the true oak. Often planted as shade for tea and coffee plantations. Leaves can be used as a soil mulch and as bedding in livestock stalls. Flowers produce nectar that attracts bees and sunbirds. Used as a windbreak, used for soil conservation, control erosion around river and stream banks, and to reclaim old pasture land. Leaves are an important dry-season fodder in Africa although not top-quality. Produce good quality cut foliage stems. Coppicing is done at 18 months to encourage vigorous new growth from the base, which is typically more productive for cut foliage. Regrows well after complete defoliation following pruning and pollarding, which can be carried out repeatedly to yield cut foliage stems. Relatively deep-rooted with dense, fine roots called proteoid roots, which helps the plant thrive in nutrient-deprived soils and thus may compete less with crop roots. Fast-growing at 1.5 m per year