Grevillea robusta is a tree with Silk Oak.

Grevillea robusta is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae.It is the largest tree in the group, but it is not related to the true oaks.It is a native of eastern coastal Australia and grows in a variety of environments.

Grevillea robusta is a fast-growing evergreen tree with a single main trunk.The bark is grey.Its leaves are 10–34 cm long, 9–15 cm wide, and divided into 11 and 31 main lobes.Each lobe can be further divided into as many as four, each linear to narrow triangular in shape.It loses most of its leaves before it flowers.2, 3, and 4

The flowers are arranged in groups of 12–15 cm.The female part of the flower has a long stalks.The flowers are mostly orange and sometimes reddish.From September to November, there is flowering and fruit.[2][3]

Robert Brown first described Grevillea robusta in 1830.Cunningham collected the type specimen on the eastern edge of Moreton Bay.Brown's description was published in Novae Hollandiae.The Latin wordrobusta means "strong like oak" or "robust".[7]

Silky oak grows in dry rainforest and wet forests in New South Wales as far south as Coffs Harbour.It is rare in its natural habitat, but has been planted on Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.It is naturalised in many places, including in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Jamaica and Florida.It is considered a weed in parts of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as in Hawaii and South Africa.[2][8]

Grevillea robusta timber is resistant to wood rot and was widely used for external window joinery.It is used in the manufacture of furniture.Falling has been restricted due to declining G. robusta populations.[5]

G. robusta has been used for side and back woods on guitars made by other companies.

It can be grown as a houseplant if it can tolerate light shade, but it prefers full sun when it's warm.Young trees need protection on cold nights.It tolerates temperatures down to 8C (18F) once established.It does not need a lot of water, but it does need occasional water.It can be a problem if planted near the bush.10

G. robusta can be used as stock for difficult to grow grevilleas.It has been planted all over the city of Kunming in south-western China.

There are plantations in South Africa where G. robusta can be grown alongside maize.[13]

The flowers and fruit are poisonous.Contact dermatitis is caused by tridecylresorcinol in G.robusta.[16]