Plants We Love - Westringia Fruticosa

Westringia fruticosa, also known as coastal rosemary, is a popular native Australian shrub, found growing locally on the eastern coast of New South Wales. Westringia is a hardy choice and looks fantastic planted singly, grouped together or formally shaped for hedging. It is a great choice to attract beneficial wildlife, birds and insects to your garden. Westringia is very adpatable due to it’s natural coastal habitat, able to withstand salt sprays and dry, windy conditions.

Fact Sheet

Planting
Plant in a position with full sun to part shade with well-draining soil. Water well after planting, to ensure the soil surrounding the roots settles and stays moist while the plant is being established in in the first few weeks. If opting for a pot, ensure to choose one that is twice the size of the selected plant, to accomodate for plant growth. Space the plants at least 50 cm apart if using for hedging to give the plants adequate room to fill out (this positioning may be more or less depending on the variety you choose).

Flowering
Westringia produces attractive small flowers in different shades of purple and white, depending on the chosen variety. They are great at attracting bird and insects. Some varieties we like include:

• Westringia “Blue Gem” - Vivid purple/blue flowers

• Westringia “Mundi” - Bright white flowers

• Westringia “Naringa” - Soft lilac/mauve flowers

Maintenance
Require little maintenance, they are drought tolerant once established and are virtually pest and disease free. Take care to not over water your Westringia, as the strongly dislike wet feet. Cut back soft growth when pruning, ensuring not to cut back too far, as they do not rejuvenate well if hard wood is cut back.