Evergreen · Full Sun
Mature size: 2m–10m high × 4m–6m wide
Most loved for its masses of fragrant white flowers in summer and its dense, spiny evergreen form that makes it an excellent habitat and screening shrub.
Approximate only. Minimum height important? Confirm with us.
Height guide & disclaimer
Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you must confirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.
Couldn't load pickup availability
| Pot / bag size | Width | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| 30cm Pot | 33cm | 30cm |
| 40cm/45L Pot | 44cm | 41.5cm |
| 50cm Pot / 70L Pot | 55cm | 41.8cm |
| 100L Bag | 50.6cm | 52.8cm |
| 150L Bag | 66cm | 55cm |
| 200L Bag | 71.5cm | 60.5cm |
| 300L Bag | 88cm | 63.8cm |
| 400L Bag | 99cm | 66cm |
| 500L Bag | 122cm | 66cm |
| 750L Bag | 134cm | 69cm |
| 1000L Bag | 146.3cm | 71.5cm |
| 2000L Bag | 176cm | 82.5cm |
General planting reference from our existing size guide. Actual containers can vary by supplier and batch; confirm exact dimensions if required.
We supply advanced trees to landscapers, developers, architects, and councils Australia-wide. Trade clients receive fast quotes, expert advice, and access to premium stock with reliable freight.
Based on the items currently in your cart.
Final delivery cost is confirmed at checkout using your full address.
Enter the length of your boundary, then choose how closely you want to plant.
Enter your boundary length to see how many trees you need.
Measure only the boundary you intend to plant—exclude gates and gaps. Spacing is centre to centre. Quantities are rounded up for one row, allowing roughly half the spacing at each end. Site conditions and pruning affect the final hedge.
Bursaria spinosa covers itself in sprays of small honey-scented white flowers through summer, filling the garden with fragrance and drawing butterflies, native bees and beneficial insects in unusual numbers. Sweet Bursaria is one of the most important habitat plants in southern Australia.
Bursaria spinosa grows to 2 to 10 metres tall and 4 to 6 metres wide at 30 to 50 centimetres per year, with the size depending heavily on conditions. Dense spiny branching makes it an effective stock-proof and intruder-resistant screen, and provides protected nesting habitat for small birds.
This Australian native tolerates light to moderate frost once established, along with poor soils, extended dry and coastal exposure. It grows in full sun and is a mainstay of revegetation, shelterbelt and biodiversity planting across southern Australia.
About Bursaria spinosa
Bursaria spinosa is variable, ranging from a 2 metre shrub in exposed dry sites to a 10 metre small tree in sheltered fertile conditions, spreading 4 to 6 metres wide.
Yes. It is native across much of southern and eastern Australia and is a key species in grassy woodland and dry forest communities.
Sprays of small honey-scented white flowers appear through summer. The fragrance is noticeable from some distance and the display lasts several weeks.
Yes. It is one of the most important butterfly plants in southern Australia and is the critical food plant for the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly.
Yes. The dense spiny branching forms an effective barrier, which is why it has traditionally been used as a stock-proof hedge on rural properties.
It handles light to moderate frost once established, and tolerates poor soils, extended dry and coastal exposure with no ongoing maintenance.
Plant 2 to 3 metres apart for a dense habitat screen or shelterbelt, or 4 to 5 metres apart where individual plants should develop fully.
| Mature height | 2m to 10m (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Mature width | 4m to 6m |
| Position | Full Sun |
| Growth per year | 30cm to 50cm per year (approx.) |
| Frost | Frost Tolerant |
| Foliage | Evergreen (foliage year round) |
| Form | Shrub · Upright |
| Uses | Screening or Privacy · Rural Property Planting · Revegetation or Regeneration |
Evergreen (foliage year round)
Bursaria spinosa is expected to grow 30cm to 50cm per year (approx.).
Bursaria spinosa works in an:
Bursaria spinosa is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree
Mature Height: 2m to 10m (approx.)
Mature Width: 4m to 6m
Bursaria spinosa is expected to grow 30cm to 50cm per year (approx.).
Bursaria spinosa is expected to grow 30cm to 50cm per year (approx.).
They are considered to have a:
Is Bursaria spinosa frost tolerant?
Bursaria spinosa is Frost Tolerant – Can handle light to moderate frost once established.
Bursaria spinosa produces masses of small, star-shaped white flowers from summer through early autumn. These fragrant blooms cluster along the branch tips, creating a delicate yet generous seasonal display that brightens the warm months.
Does Bursaria spinosa flower?
Flowering Period:
Flower Type:
Flower Colour:
White
Yes
Bursaria spinosa is Native to Widespread across Australia, from Queensland through New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, where it grows in open forests, woodlands, and grasslands.
Its nectar-rich flowers attract native bees, hoverflies, butterflies and other pollinators, while the dense, prickly branching provides excellent nesting habitat for small birds. It is especially valued as a host plant for several native butterfly species, contributing strongly to biodiversity.
Bursaria spinosa will thrive best in:
Bursaria spinosa performs best in well-drained sandy or loam soils and tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. It can manage poorer soils but may struggle in heavy clay or waterlogged sites unless improved with organic matter to enhance drainage. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then reduce watering as the tree matures and develops its characteristic high drought resilience.
Is Bursaria spinosa Drought tolerant?
As a young tree it benefits from regular watering, but once established Bursaria spinosa develops excellent drought tolerance. It thrives in dry, low-maintenance gardens and maintains its dense, bushy form with minimal supplementary watering.
Enquire for current heights
Enquire for current heights
Enquire for current heights
Heights are approximate and vary between individual trees.
We take pride in supplying A+ grade advanced trees. When stock at our farm is not yet ready, we work with our trusted trade suppliers to source the best available trees for your garden.
Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.
Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.
Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.
About Enriched Planting Mix
It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.
It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.
No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.
Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.
Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.
It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.
Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.
Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.
Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.
Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.
About Enriched Planting Mix
It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.
It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.
No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.
Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.
Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.
It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.
Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.
Acmena smithii 'Sublime' is a compact evergreen lilly pilly with vivid lime-green new growth that matures to deep glossy green. Its naturally upright columnar habit delivers dense coverage from base to tip, making it one of the cleanest, lowest-maintenance screening plants available.
Sublime grows to around 5 metres tall and just 2-3 metres wide, holding a tight column with minimal pruning. The narrow form suits tight boundary lines, pool surrounds, and structured hedges. A non-invasive root system and strong psyllid resistance make it a reliable, well-behaved alternative to more vigorous screening species.
Sublime tolerates clay soils, light frost, and moderate drought once established. It thrives across temperate to subtropical regions of NSW, QLD, VIC and parts of SA and WA, in full sun to part shade.
About Acmena smithii 'Sublime' Lilly Pilly
Sublime grows to around 5 metres tall and just 2-3 metres wide, with a naturally upright columnar form.
Sublime is fast-growing, adding 50-80cm per year once established.
Yes. Acmena smithii 'Sublime' has strong psyllid resistance, so it holds clean, unblemished foliage where older lilly pilly types can suffer pimple-like leaf damage.
Yes. The dense columnar habit makes Sublime ideal for narrow hedges, screens, and pool surrounds where clean form is needed.
No. Sublime has a non-invasive root system, making it a safer choice near paving, pools, and boundaries than more vigorous screening species.
Plant 60-80cm apart for a dense formal hedge, or 1 metre for a more relaxed screen.
Sublime thrives across temperate to subtropical regions of NSW, QLD, VIC and parts of SA and WA, tolerating clay soils, light frost, and moderate drought once established.
Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl' is one of the best compact evergreen shrubs available for low hedges and borders. The glossy dark green foliage forms a naturally tidy rounded mound, and clusters of soft white to pale pink flowers appear from late winter into spring, followed by small dark berries.
Oriental Pearl grows to just 1-1.5 metres tall and wide, holding a neat uniform shape with minimal pruning. The compact form makes it ideal for low clipped hedges, narrow borders, mass plantings, and container planting, particularly where space is limited and a formal finish is wanted.
Oriental Pearl thrives across most Australian climates in full sun to part shade, tolerating heat, coastal exposure, salt spray, light frost, and a wide range of well-drained soils. It is both drought tolerant and salt tolerant once established, making it a reliable low-maintenance choice for coastal and low-water gardens.
About Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl'
Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl' grows to 1-1.5 metres tall and wide, forming a naturally compact dense mound.
Oriental Pearl has a moderate growth rate of 20-40cm per year once established.
Yes. Oriental Pearl is one of the best compact evergreen shrubs for low hedges, borders, and mass plantings, holding a tidy rounded form with minimal pruning.
Oriental Pearl produces clusters of soft white to pale pink flowers from late winter into spring, followed by small dark berries.
Yes. Oriental Pearl is both drought tolerant and salt tolerant once established, making it well suited to coastal gardens and low-water landscapes.
Plant 50-70cm apart for a continuous low hedge, or 80cm-1 metre for a softer informal border.
Oriental Pearl thrives across most Australian climates in full sun to part shade, tolerating heat, coastal exposure, and a wide range of well-drained soils.
Buxus microphylla var. japonica, sold as Japanese Box, is a dense evergreen shrub clipped here into clean topiary balls. The small, rounded, mid green leaves sit tightly along short stems, so the surface holds a crisp edge after cutting. Growth is naturally compact, which is what allows the ball shape to hold between trims.
It grows in full sun to part shade and accepts most soils that drain, from sandy loam through to improved clay. Cool temperate, temperate and subtropical districts all suit it, and established plants handle light to moderate frost. Growth runs about 15 to 25 centimetres a year, slow enough that the shape stays where you put it.
Balls are used to edge beds and paths, mark an entry, sit either side of a doorway, or repeat down a courtyard to give a planting rhythm. They also underplant feature trees neatly. Because the form arrives already grown, a bed reads finished from the day it goes in rather than years later.
About Japanese Box Topiary Balls
It is Buxus microphylla var. japonica grown on and clipped into a sphere. The plant does the same job as any box shrub, evergreen, small leaved and tolerant of cutting, but it arrives already shaped. Ball diameters run from around 30 centimetres up to large advanced specimens, and the shape is then held with two trims a year.
The ball is held at whatever diameter it is clipped to, commonly 30 to 70 centimetres, with larger specimens available in bigger containers. In the ground, overall height sits close to the ball diameter. Left entirely unclipped the species would slowly reach roughly 1.5 to 2 metres tall and wide over many years.
About 15 to 25 centimetres a year, which is slow to moderate. That pace is an advantage in topiary because the outline drifts gradually rather than running away between cuts. Two trims a year, one in early spring and one in late summer, are usually enough to keep the surface tight and the profile even.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest, tightest surface, which matters when the appeal of the plant is a clean clipped edge. In hot inland gardens some afternoon shade prevents leaf scorch and bronzing. Deep shade thins the growth out and the ball loses its crisp outline.
Yes. Established plants handle light to moderate frost without damage, which covers most temperate and cool temperate gardens including Canberra, Melbourne and the southern tablelands. Newly planted stock is more exposed, so water it well going into winter and mulch the root zone. Any frost burnt tips can simply be trimmed off in spring.
Yes, they are one of the better plants for a container. A pot 40 to 50 centimetres wide suits a single ball for a courtyard, entry or balcony. Use a quality potting mix, water once the top few centimetres dry out, and feed in spring and again in summer. Repot or refresh the mix every few years.
Trim twice a year with sharp shears, cutting lightly and often rather than hard. Feed in early spring with a slow release fertiliser and keep water up through summer. Mulch to about 50 millimetres, keeping it clear of the stem. Watch for box psyllid on soft new growth and treat early if the tips start to cup.
Buxus sempervirens English Box Topiary Balls are pre-clipped formal evergreen specimens, available in three mature sizes and ready to place. The tight, fine, dark green foliage holds a precise rounded form year-round and gives the classic formal topiary look that no other Buxus replicates. As one of our most consistently strong-selling products, our English Box topiary balls are well-shaped, well-rooted, and arrive in proportion to the pot size.
English Box performs best in cool to temperate climates and is slow growing at around 15 to 25 cm per year in good conditions, which is exactly why it holds sharp formal shapes so well. It thrives in full sun to part shade with well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral loamy soil, and is frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and excellent in containers. Two light clips per year, in spring and again in late summer, keep the ball form crisp.
Use them flanking entrances, lining formal pathways, anchoring symmetrical garden beds, defining parterre and knot gardens, and in pairs in classic urns and decorative pots at front doors. Buxus sempervirens is the original topiary plant and remains the benchmark for traditional and contemporary formal design, with a level of finesse and density that fast-growing alternatives cannot replicate.
About Buxus sempervirens English Box Topiary Balls
Our English Box topiary balls arrive pre-clipped and ready to place at the size you order. The 30cm/33cm pots have ball diameters of approximately 30 to 45 cm, the 40cm/45L pots have ball diameters of 40 to 55 cm, and the 50cm/75L pots have ball diameters of 50 to 70 cm. They are well-rooted and in proportion to the pot.
English Box is slow-growing, adding approximately 15 to 25 cm per year once established in good conditions. This slow growth rate is one of the reasons it holds sharp formal shapes so well, and why mature pre-clipped specimens command a premium over seedling-grown stock.
English Box (Buxus sempervirens) has the smallest, finest leaves and the tightest formal texture, ideal for traditional parterres and clipped balls. Japanese Box (Buxus microphylla japonica) has slightly larger leaves, grows faster, and handles heat better. Shaggy Box (Buxus bodinieri) has soft, rounded leaves, much better blight resistance, and is the best choice for humid subtropical climates where English Box can struggle.
English Box performs best in cool to temperate regions including Victoria, the ACT, the NSW Southern Highlands and Central Tablelands, Tasmania, and the elevated parts of South Australia and Western Australia. In humid coastal or hot subtropical regions, consider Buxus bodinieri Shaggy Box or Japanese Box instead for better long-term performance.
Lightly clip in spring and again in late summer or early autumn to maintain the ball shape. Avoid pruning in the heat of summer or during frost periods. Use sharp shears for the cleanest formal finish, and step back regularly to check the symmetry of the form.
Yes. English Box is the classic potted topiary plant and pre-clipped balls look particularly striking in pairs at entrances and on terraces. Use a minimum 30L pot for the 30cm/33cm size and scale up from there, with a quality potting mix and a slow-release fertiliser applied twice yearly.
English Box can be affected by box blight, particularly in humid conditions where foliage stays wet. To reduce risk, ensure good air circulation around each plant, avoid overhead watering, and prune to maintain airflow through the canopy. In high-humidity regions, Buxus bodinieri Shaggy Box is a more disease-resistant alternative.
Ligularia reniformis carries enormous glossy kidney-shaped leaves that give a shaded garden the bold tropical texture usually only available in full sun. The Tractor Seat Plant is grown for foliage first, with tall stems of bright yellow daisy flowers through summer as a bonus.
Ligularia reniformis forms a clump 0.6 to 1 metre tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide, spreading slowly at 10 to 20 centimetres per year. That steady habit makes it reliable as a mass underplanting beneath established trees, an edging along a shaded path, or a single specimen in a large pot.
This is a full shade plant. It wants consistent moisture and protection from hot afternoon sun, which scorches the leaves, and it is frost sensitive, so in cold districts it needs a protected position. Given shade and water it is close to maintenance free.
About Ligularia reniformis
It forms a clump 0.6 to 1 metre tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. The individual leaves can reach 40 centimetres across, which is where the bold texture comes from.
The common name comes from the large round kidney-shaped leaves, which resemble the seat of an old tractor. The botanical name reniformis means kidney-shaped.
Yes. It performs best in full shade and will scorch in hot afternoon sun. It is one of the most useful foliage plants available for genuinely dark positions.
Tall stems of bright yellow daisy-like flowers rise well above the foliage through summer. The foliage remains the main feature for the rest of the year.
No. It is frost sensitive and may be damaged by frost. In cold districts plant it in a protected position, or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.
It wants consistently moist soil and does not tolerate drying out. Mulch well and water regularly through summer, particularly in pots and under established trees where roots compete.
Plant 0.8 to 1 metre apart for a continuous shaded groundcover mass. Closer spacing fills in faster but the clumps will crowd within a few seasons.
Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen' carries small shimmering silver-green leaves on near-black stems, giving a light airy screen that moves in the wind rather than reading as a solid green wall. It is one of the most widely specified screening plants in Australian landscape design for exactly that reason.
'Silver Sheen' grows to 4 to 6 metres tall but only 1.5 to 2 metres wide at 30 to 60 centimetres per year, which makes it a genuine solution for narrow beds along fence lines and between buildings where height is needed but width is not available. Small cream flowers appear in spring and are lightly fragrant.
'Silver Sheen' grows in full sun to part shade and tolerates light to moderate frost once established, performing from subtropical Queensland through Sydney, Melbourne, Gippsland and Adelaide. It clips well, holds density under regular trimming, and is equally effective as a formal hedge or a loose screen.
About Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen'
'Silver Sheen' grows to 4 to 6 metres tall and only 1.5 to 2 metres wide, which makes it one of the best options for narrow screening where a tall hedge is needed in a shallow bed.
It grows at 30 to 60 centimetres per year once established, reaching a usable screening height within three to four years with regular water and feeding.
It naturally holds to 1.5 to 2 metres wide and can be trimmed to under a metre with regular clipping, which is why it is so often used in tight side-boundary positions.
Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge. Closer spacing fills in faster but needs more trimming.
'Silver Sheen' handles light to moderate frost once established. Young plants benefit from protection through their first winter in colder inland districts.
Yes. It performs in full sun through to part shade. In shadier positions growth is slightly more open, which suits a softer informal screen.
It performs from subtropical Queensland through Northern NSW, Sydney, the South Coast and tablelands, Melbourne and surrounds, the Western District, Gippsland and Adelaide.
Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Balls' is Star Jasmine grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere. The small glossy leaves sit tight on a woody framework, holding a clean rounded outline year round. White pinwheel flowers open in spring and carry a strong sweet scent right across a courtyard.
Ball specimens hold at about 1 to 1.5 metres tall and wide with light clipping. Full sun to part shade suits them, in any free draining soil. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year. They handle coastal exposure, light frost and dry spells once the roots are down.
Repeat them along a driveway, either side of an entry, or in pots on a terrace where a formal shape is wanted straight away. They read as structure in a planting scheme without the height of a hedge, and because the form is already trained, a new garden looks settled from the day it goes in.
About Star Jasmine Balls
They are Trachelospermum jasminoides, the common Star Jasmine, grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere on a woody framework. Instead of climbing, the plant is trained into a self supporting rounded shape. The foliage is small, glossy and dark green, and the plant carries scented white flowers through spring.
They hold at roughly 1 to 1.5 metres tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year, so a light clip once or twice a year keeps the ball tight at whatever size within that range suits the setting.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest foliage and the heaviest flowering, while part shade produces slightly softer, more open growth and fewer flowers. Avoid deep shade, where the ball thins out and loses its outline. Morning sun with afternoon protection suits hot inland gardens.
Yes, and pots are one of the main uses. A container 50 to 60 centimetres wide with a quality free draining mix will hold a ball for years. Water more often than you would in the ground, especially in summer, and feed in spring and again in late summer. Refresh the mix every few years.
Yes, the foliage is held year round. The glossy dark green leaves take on a bronze tinge in cold weather and green up again in spring, but the plant never goes bare. That is what makes it useful as permanent structure in a scheme, particularly in winter once perennials have died back.
Flowering runs through spring, roughly September to November, and often carries into early summer in warmer districts. The white pinwheel flowers are small but produced in quantity, and the scent is strong on still evenings. Flowering is heaviest on plants in full sun that were not clipped hard just before bud set.
Clip lightly with hedging shears once after flowering and again in late summer if needed, taking only the new growth to keep the outline crisp. Water deeply in dry weather, mulch the base, and feed in early spring. The sap is milky and can irritate skin, so wear gloves when trimming.
Acacia iteaphylla, the Flinders Range Wattle, is a hardy evergreen native shrub with soft grey green phyllodes on gently arching stems and a naturally rounded outline. New growth carries a purple flush, and from late winter it hangs pale lemon ball flowers in short sprays, followed by decorative blue grey seed pods.
It grows in full sun in any soil that drains, including limestone, sand and gravelly ground, and it is at home in Mediterranean, temperate and drier inland climates. Growth is 30 to 60 centimetres a year. Established shrubs are drought hardy and take light to moderate frost, and they hold coastal exposure well.
Use it as an informal screen along a fence line, a low windbreak, a bank stabiliser on dry slopes, or bulk planting in native garden beds. It has a habit of self seeding, so it is best kept away from bushland edges. Where a tough shrub is needed on a hard site, it delivers quickly.
About Flinders Range Wattle
Acacia iteaphylla is an Australian native wattle from the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, which is where the common name comes from. It forms a rounded evergreen shrub with arching branches, soft grey green foliage and pale yellow ball flowers in winter and spring. It is widely planted for screening, revegetation and dry garden borders.
It reaches roughly 2 to 4 metres tall and 2 to 3 metres wide, with the taller figures reached on better soils with some moisture. In hard, dry or exposed sites it stays lower and broader. Because the habit is arching rather than upright, allow the full width when planting near paths or driveways.
It performs best in Mediterranean and temperate districts across South Australia, Victoria, southern New South Wales and the south of Western Australia, and it does well in drier inland areas too. It handles coastal exposure and alkaline or limestone soils. It is least suited to humid subtropical regions and to heavy soils that stay wet through winter.
Set plants 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or about 80 centimetres apart for a tighter, more formal clipped hedge. For an avenue or a row along a fence line, 3 metres gives each shrub room to develop its full arching shape without crowding its neighbours.
Both, once established. It comes from a dry inland range and holds condition through long rainless periods with no supplementary water. Light to moderate frost causes no damage on settled plants, though a first winter in a cold district is easier on a young shrub with some shelter. Waterlogged soil is the real weakness.
It is evergreen and holds its grey green foliage all year, so screening and windbreak value continue right through winter. The plant also carries interest outside the flowering season through purple tinged new growth and long lasting blue grey seed pods. There is no period where it drops its cover.
Water through the first summer only, then let it fend for itself. Avoid phosphorus rich fertiliser. Trim lightly straight after flowering to keep the shrub dense and to cut down on seed set, since it self seeds readily. Do not cut into bare old wood. Remove any seedlings that appear where they are not wanted.
Acacia cognata 'Limelight' forms a soft cascading mound of fine lime-green foliage that holds its colour year round, giving movement and brightness in positions where a flowering plant would deliver for only a few weeks. It is one of the most widely used native accent plants in Australian design.
'Limelight' is a genuine dwarf, reaching just 60 centimetres to 1 metre tall and wide at 20 to 40 centimetres per year, and holding a neat rounded bun shape without pruning. That compact scale suits mass planting along borders, underplanting beneath feature trees, and single specimens in decorative pots.
This Australian native grows in full sun to part shade and needs free-draining soil, performing poorly where drainage is impeded or humidity is high. It is frost sensitive, so in cold districts choose a protected position or grow it in a pot that can be moved.
About Acacia cognata 'Limelight'
'Limelight' is a dwarf cultivar reaching only 60 centimetres to 1 metre tall and wide. It is far smaller than the parent species Acacia cognata, which grows to several metres.
No. It holds a neat rounded bun shape naturally. A light tip prune after the main growth flush keeps it tight, but never cut back hard into old wood.
No. It is frost sensitive and may be damaged by frost. Choose a protected position in cold districts, or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.
Yes. Its compact cascading habit makes it an excellent pot specimen for entries and courtyards. Use a free-draining mix and never let the pot sit wet.
Free drainage is essential. It performs poorly in heavy or waterlogged soils and in humid conditions. Raised beds improve airflow and drainage where humidity is a problem.
Plant 60 to 80 centimetres apart for a continuous flowing lime-green mass. Closer spacing fills in faster but the mounds will merge within a few seasons.
Yes. Acacia cognata is an Australian native and 'Limelight' is a dwarf cultivar selected for its bright lime foliage and compact mounding habit.
Westringia fruticosa, Coastal Rosemary, is an Australian native evergreen shrub from the headlands and dunes of the east coast. It builds a dense rounded bush of fine grey green leaves held in whorls, with small white to pale lilac flowers. Despite the common name it is not the culinary herb.
Mature plants sit at 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide, growing 30 to 60 centimetres a year, and they clip smaller without complaint. Full sun to part shade and sharp drainage are the requirements. Salt wind, sandy soil, drought and light to moderate frost are all handled.
It is a standard on coastal projects, road verges, council garden beds and exposed banks that need erosion cover. Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for an informal screen, or 80 centimetres for a clipped hedge. A single plant fills a 40 to 50 centimetre pot on a courtyard or balcony.
About Coastal Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa is an Australian native evergreen shrub from the headlands and dunes of the east coast. It forms a dense rounded bush of fine grey green leaves held in whorls, with small white to pale lilac flowers. Despite the common name it is not culinary rosemary and is not used in cooking.
Mature plants reach 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide. It clips readily to smaller dimensions and is often maintained at around a metre as a hedge or a low mound. Growth is moderate, roughly 30 to 60 centimetres a year, so it holds a trimmed shape well.
It is one of the best shrubs available for exposed coastal work. It grows naturally on sea cliffs and copes with salt laden wind, sand and reflected heat. It is used constantly on beachfront reserves, dune stabilisation projects and seaside gardens where little else holds a tidy shape.
The main flush is spring and summer, roughly September through February, with scattered flowering at other times of the year in mild districts. The flowers are small, white to pale lilac and sit among the foliage rather than above it. Clipped hedges flower less than plants left to grow informally.
Space plants 80 centimetres apart for a tight formal hedge, or 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen. On banks and batters used for erosion cover, 1 metre in a staggered grid gives full ground coverage within about two growing seasons.
Yes. A pot 40 to 50 centimetres wide suits a single plant for a courtyard, entry or balcony. Use a free draining mix, because the roots will not tolerate sitting wet. Container plants need watering more often than those in the ground, plus a light trim to hold their shape.
Trim lightly two or three times a year, taking the soft new growth and avoiding cuts into bare old wood, which reshoots poorly. Water through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. On most soils it needs no feeding at all, and it resents heavy watering and poor drainage.
Hakea laurina, the pincushion hakea, is an evergreen Australian native large shrub or small tree. Narrow blue green leaves give it a willow like softness, and from autumn it carries round crimson flower heads studded with radiating cream styles, which is where the pincushion name comes from.
Full sun and well drained sandy or loamy soil suit it, and it takes coastal exposure, extended dry spells and light frost once established. Mediterranean, temperate and semi arid districts are its natural fit. Growth is moderate at 20 to 40 centimetres a year, and it dislikes humid summers and wet soil.
It works as a screening shrub along a boundary, a small feature tree over a native understorey, or a street tree in dry inland towns. Nectar feeding birds use it heavily through the colder months. Buyers get winter flowers, year round foliage and a plant that survives on very little water.
About Hakea laurina
It is a Western Australian member of the Proteaceae, grown as a large shrub or small tree. The flowers are its signature: rounded crimson to pink globes about 4 centimetres across, with cream styles radiating out, sitting along the stems. Foliage is narrow, leathery and blue green, and the habit is upright with a rounded crown.
Evergreen. It holds its narrow blue green foliage all year and does not defoliate in winter, which is part of why it is used for screening. New growth flushes in spring and after rain. The only real seasonal change is flowering, which arrives as the weather cools rather than in the warm months.
It reaches 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 5 metres wide at maturity, sitting between a large shrub and a small tree. Plants left alone branch low to the ground, so lifting the lower limbs early creates a clean trunk and a proper small tree form. Growth is moderate at 20 to 40 centimetres a year.
Flowering starts in autumn and continues through winter, often carrying into early spring in cooler districts. That cool season display is the main reason it is planted, since it fills a period when most gardens are quiet. The flowers are rich in nectar and hold on the plant for several weeks.
Yes, in second line coastal positions with free draining sandy soil. It handles salt laden wind well, but not constant direct exposure on a foredune. Humidity is a bigger problem for it than salt, so it performs better on the southern and western coasts than in the humid subtropical east.
Yes. Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or about 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge. Trim lightly after flowering to build density rather than shearing hard, since hakeas resent cuts into bare old wood. As a spaced feature tree, allow 3 to 4 metres between plants.
Water through the first summer to establish, then only during long dry periods. Use a coarse mulch and keep it away from the trunk. Feed sparingly, with a low phosphorus native fertiliser in spring if at all. Prune straight after flowering, taking tip growth only, and remove any dead inner wood.
11 in stock
Bursaria spinosa covers itself in sprays of small honey-scented white flowers through summer, filling the garden with fragrance and drawing butterflies, native bees and beneficial insects in unusual numbers. Sweet Bursaria is one of the most important habitat plants in southern Australia.
Bursaria spinosa grows to 2 to 10 metres tall and 4 to 6 metres wide at 30 to 50 centimetres per year, with the size depending heavily on conditions. Dense spiny branching makes it an effective stock-proof and intruder-resistant screen, and provides protected nesting habitat for small birds.
This Australian native tolerates light to moderate frost once established, along with poor soils, extended dry and coastal exposure. It grows in full sun and is a mainstay of revegetation, shelterbelt and biodiversity planting across southern Australia.
About Bursaria spinosa
Bursaria spinosa is variable, ranging from a 2 metre shrub in exposed dry sites to a 10 metre small tree in sheltered fertile conditions, spreading 4 to 6 metres wide.
Yes. It is native across much of southern and eastern Australia and is a key species in grassy woodland and dry forest communities.
Sprays of small honey-scented white flowers appear through summer. The fragrance is noticeable from some distance and the display lasts several weeks.
Yes. It is one of the most important butterfly plants in southern Australia and is the critical food plant for the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly.
Yes. The dense spiny branching forms an effective barrier, which is why it has traditionally been used as a stock-proof hedge on rural properties.
It handles light to moderate frost once established, and tolerates poor soils, extended dry and coastal exposure with no ongoing maintenance.
Plant 2 to 3 metres apart for a dense habitat screen or shelterbelt, or 4 to 5 metres apart where individual plants should develop fully.
