Botanical Name: Westringia fruticosa
Common Name: Australian rosemary

 

Use: Outdoors
Indigenous/Exotic : Exotic
Evergreen/Deciduous : Evergreen
Plant Type : Shrub
Flower Colour : White to pale blue
Foliage Colour : Blue grey
Best Season : Spring to summer
Light : Sun
Hardiness : Hardy
Attributes :
Height (m) : 1
Spread (m) : 1
    
Notes : Also called coast rosemary, this delightful Australian shrub has blue-grey leaves (which resemble those of rosemary) with white, felt-like undersides. From spring to late summer, flowers of white to the palest mauve are borne on the tips of the arching branches. As the name ‘coast rosemary’ implies, westringia is especially useful in seaside gardens since it will withstand salt spray. The red foliage of acalypha or red-leafed euphorbia makes a happy contrast with its grey leaves. Or for a quieter, more restful, look, plant it with other grey-green, grey-blue or silver-leafed shrubs such as lavender or rosemary.

 

As it prefers winter rain, westringia is perfect for the southern Cape coast, but it can be grown in other frost-free regions, provided it is watered in winter. It is not suited to very dry areas or those with severe frost.

 

Happy in full sun or partial shade, this easy-to-grow shrub does well in any fairly fertile garden soil. Water well in dry weather, especially in winter.