Tjiilka-tjiilka facts for kids

Grevillea spinosa, also known as the spiny grevillea, is an evergreen shrub of the genus Grevillea native to an area in the east of the Mid West, northern Goldfields-Esperance and southern Pilbara regions of Western Australia.

Description

The prickly shrub typically grows to a height of 1 to 2 metres (3.3 to 6.6 ft) and has non-glaucous branchlets. It has simple, dissected, subpinnatisect leaves with a blade that is 25 to 60 millimetres (0.98 to 2.36 in). It blooms from May to September and produces a terminal raceme irregular inflorescence with green or yellow flowers and orange styles. Later it forms red-brown simple hairy oblong to ovoid fruit that is 9 to 14 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in) long. The plant has papery bark that in sheds minni ritchi style in long strips. It regenerates from seed only. G. spinosa is similar to Grevillea pteridifolia and Grevillea eriostachya, both of which have longer, non-pungent, pliable leaf lobes.

Grevillea spinosa is found around Wiluna from the Canning Stock Route to the Little Sandy Desert and as far south as Yeelirrie Station. It grows on stony ridges and in gravelly, sandy or loamy soils often over sandstone. The plant is used in gardens as an informal screen, informal hedge or barrier that is able to tolerate dry soils and light frosts.