Westringia fruticosa (Australian rosemary)

Botanical name

Westringia fruticosa

Other names

Australian rosemary, Victorian rosemary, Coast rosemary, Westringia rosmariniformis

Genus

Westringia Westringia

Species

W. fruticosa - W. fruticosa is an erect, bushy to rounded, tender, evergreen shrub with linear to narrowly lance-shaped, dark green leaves, white-hairy underneath, and, from late spring to early autumn, small, tubular, white to pale blue flowers with speckled throats.

Foliage

Evergreen

Fragrance

Foliage is aromatic.

Habit

Bushy, Rounded

Awards

RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

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Colour

Flower

White, Pale-blue in Spring; Pale-blue, White in Summer; White, Pale-blue in Autumn

Foliage

Dark-green in All seasons

General care

Pruning

Pruning Group 9. May need restrictive pruning if grown under glass. If grown as a hedge, prune in late spring and again in late summer.

Propagation methods

Seed, Semi-ripe cuttings, Softwood cuttings

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Monthly care advice

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Where to grow

Westringia fruticosa (Australian rosemary) will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 1.5m after 5-10 years.

Suggested uses

Beds and borders, Coastal, Containers, Cottage/Informal, Greenhouse, Hedging/Screens, Low Maintenance, Mediterranean, Wallside and trellises

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in loam-based compost with added sharp sand and leaf mould in full light. In growth, water moderately and feed monthly; water sparingly in winter. Outdoors in frost-free areas, plant in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. In frost-prone areas, can be grown in a container and overwintered indoors.

Soil type

Chalky, Loamy, Sandy

Soil drainage

Moist but well-drained, Well-drained

Soil pH

Alkaline, Neutral

Light

Full Sun

Aspect

South, West

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.

Indoor heated (H1), Tender in frost (H3)

USDA zones

Zone 11, Zone 10, Zone 9