Hi rebelash: Mine are grafted onto G. robusta root stock. I made enquiries about it at Neilsons Natives Nursery, 51 Beenleigh Redlands Bay Road, Loganholm, South-East Qld. 07 3806 1313. They didn't have it in stock but they were able to order it in. Took a couple of months if my memory serves me right. It's a groundcover variety and where I am (near Tweed Heads) it's doing fine, been in now about 18 months. The above is one of last season's flowers. Mind you, it is not spectacular, but certainly unusual. Gees time flys! I see above I posted that message in July 15, so, bit over 2 years now.

I recall there being mention of a supplier of Australian native plants in California but don't recall the name. try googling Australian native plants California and it may come up, if it's still around. Or there might be others.

Anybody have any experience growing grevillea firesprite in southern California?

While Australian natives are adapted to very low phosphorus soil conditions, only a minority of them are truly P-sensitive. Others don't need it, but can tolerate it in the soil, especially if the roots have adapted to those conditions (as opposed to sudden fertilization) and depending upon the availability of the phosphorous (some soils have higher fixation levels, making the nutrient less able to be taken up by plants). Protaceae is probably the most sensitive to phosphorous (Grevilleas are included here), as are many members of the Rutaceae family. It is also seen in some Mimoaceae and Fabaceae. I have had to fertilize some Australian plants, but it needs to be done carefully and with the correct ratios for the conditions and species. Although they don't tend to die with some deficiencies of Nitrogen, Potassium and micronutrients, their growth rate can be slowed. Plants that are being grown in areas where they are likely to experience P-toxicity often respond very well to supplements of chelated iron or iron sulphate.