Aussie Flat Bush Saltbush

Aussie Flat Bush saltbush (Rhagodia spinescens 'Aussie Flat Bush') is a prostrate selection of a hardy Australian native, grown for silver grey foliage and its willingness to cover ground nobody else wants. It spreads fast to about 1.5m wide while staying under 40cm tall: the groundcover for difficult corners.

Why you'll love it

• Silver grey against everything else. The pale foliage lifts a bed of green natives and holds colour through summer unwatered.
• It covers ground quickly. Spreading to 1.5m, a small number of plants close a large area in a season or two.
• Almost indestructible. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and untroubled by poor or rocky soil.
• Takes a hard trim. Unlike most silver foliage plants it reshoots after cutting, so it can be renewed rather than replaced.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 1m apart, roughly one plant per square metre. The plants meet within a season or two and hold the soil.

Embankments and retaining walls. The spreading habit binds soil on a slope and the branches drape over a wall face.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance and a taste for lean sandy ground make it reliable on an exposed coastal block.

Borders and edging. A low silver band along a driveway or path is a low water alternative to lawn. Trim once or twice a year to stop it creeping over paving.

Growing saltbush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and best silver colour; partial shade is accepted but growth is more open. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens, and it is frost hardy, so cold inland winters are no obstacle. It is not for wet tropical gardens, where humidity and rainfall keep it too damp.

Soil. Almost any soil that drains, including sandy, rocky, alkaline and saline ground. Avoid heavy clay that holds water, or plant on a raised mound. No soil improvement needed.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then leave it alone. Established plants live on rainfall. Fertiliser is unnecessary, and rich feeding produces soft floppy growth that loses the silver tone.

Pruning. Trim once a year in late winter to keep it dense and inside its bounds. It tolerates a hard cut back, the fix for a plant gone woody or leggy in the centre.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes are grown: tube stock, 140mm pots in packs of ten, and 200mm pots in packs of six. Tube stock is the economical choice for a large embankment; the 140mm packs suit a home garden bed. Tube stock and the 200mm packs are on backorder, so confirm availability before planning a large planting.

Saltbush travels well. The foliage may look dusty or flattened after transport and recovers within a fortnight. Plant within a few days, water in well, and expect visible spread by the end of the first season, full cover in the second.

Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Plants that thrive in poor soil
• Softening a retaining wall with planting
• Browse coastal and salt tolerant plants
• More low maintenance groundcovers

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart, roughly one plant per square metre. On a steep embankment you can tighten that to 800mm to bind the soil faster.

How high does it get?

Under 40cm, and it stays there. This is a prostrate selection: it spreads sideways rather than building into the taller shrub the species forms.

Can I cut it back if it gets away from me?

Yes. It responds well to a hard trim and reshoots from old wood. Late winter is best, before spring growth starts.