Trees we love: Grevillea

Welcome to our new series “Trees we love”, in which we introduce you to the heart of our work at Treedom: our trees. We take you into our world! Today, we’re talking about Grevillea.

Grevillea robusta

Let's start with the basics: the Grevillea genus includes several species, but the one we plant in our projects is the Grevillea robusta. Special features? It grows fast, reaching from 12 to 25 metres high. It has bold, bright-yellow blossom that attracts swarms of hungry bees. It’s not as popular as other fruit species, but its appeal lies in making itself unobtrusively indispensable.

A happy coexistence

At Treedom, we plant trees in agroforestry systems (link to systems page), i.e. alongside other seasonal crops, because this coexistence triggers a virtuous circle that benefits them all. Grevillea is the perfect example to explain the benefits of this cohabitation. It’s a fast-growing species, which is why it is often planted together with other species that need protection from the wind and sun, such as coffee seedlings. And that’s not all! Remember that when a tree grows, it grows not only upwards but also downwards: this means that the root system helps counteract soil erosion and improves water absorption. In addition, its leaves – fresh or dried – are used as feed for livestock.

A Grevillea at the time of geolocation

Much more than a tree

Trees do much more than just absorb carbon emissions, although you should know that in the first 10 years of its life alone, a Grevillea is capable of absorbing around 800 kg of CO₂. The species develops slender foliage that allows smallholders to plant it in rows like natural columns to protect crops from increasingly frequent and unpredictable extreme weather events. This is why the concept we have assigned to it is Patience: even planted in cities, often by the roadside, the Grevillea can withstand rush-hour traffic.

Plant a Grevillea with Treedom

Did you know that you can plant a Grevillea with just one click? It will be given to a local smallholder, who will plant it on his or her land and take care of it over time. You will become its remote caretaker, you will receive a photo of it and its GPS coordinates, and you can even decide to gift it (virtually) to someone. A special gift that lasts over time and makes the planet greener.

Want to plant your Grevillea now? You can do so here!