Granite Kunzea

Granite Kunzea (Kunzea pulchella) is a Western Australian shrub that pairs soft silver grey foliage with scarlet bottlebrush flowers, a combination almost nothing else in the native palette offers. It grows to about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, open and slightly arching rather than a dense ball. On sand, gravel or a dry rocky slope it is a feature plant that honeyeaters work.

Why you'll love it

• Silver foliage, scarlet flowers. The felted grey leaves make the red brushes read twice as bright, and the contrast holds out of bloom.
• Birds work it hard. Honeyeaters and wattlebirds come for the nectar, so it earns its place in a wildlife garden.
• Built for dry, poor ground. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in low fertility soil once established.
• Useful size. At 2.5m by 2m it screens a fence line or anchors a rockery without becoming a job.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant against a pale wall or gravel bed carries a corner. The arching habit suits an informal design, not a clipped one.

Informal screening. Plant 1.5m apart for a loose, breathable screen. It will not knit into a solid hedge and should not be sheared like one.

Rockeries, coastal and mass planting. Excellent on slopes and raised gravel beds where drainage is sharp. In coastal gardens keep it back from direct salt spray, but use it freely a row in.

Growing Granite Kunzea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. This is a warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi arid plant, at home in Perth, Adelaide, inland South Australia and the drier parts of Victoria and New South Wales. It dislikes humidity and tends to be short lived in the humid east. It handles light frost only.

Soil. Drainage is the whole game. Sand, gravel and decomposed granite are ideal. On clay it will not survive without a raised mound of coarse gritty mix at least 300mm high. Avoid rich compost and heavy mulch against the stem.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to get roots down, then only in extended dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser once in early spring, or nothing. Standard fertilisers can damage it.

Pruning. Tip prune lightly straight after flowering to keep it furnished. Never cut into bare old wood; like most kunzeas it reshoots poorly.

What to expect when it arrives

Granite Kunzea is supplied as tube stock, usually 15cm to 25cm tall. Kunzeas resent root disturbance, so a small plant put straight into well drained ground establishes faster than a larger one.

Tubes travel upright in trays and arrive in good order. Plant within a week, water in well, and expect little visible growth for the first month while roots move out. Allow two to three seasons to reach flowering size. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse other tough options in Australian native shrubs.
• Native plants with red flowers for companions.
• Compare choices for sharp drainage in rockery plants.
• See the wider drought tolerant range.

Common questions

Will it grow in Brisbane or Sydney?

It can, but honestly it is a gamble. Summer humidity causes sudden collapse in eastern gardens. Give it the sharpest drainage and most open position you have, or choose a native suited to humidity.

How far apart for a screen?

1.5m apart in a single row. Expect a light, informal screen rather than a solid wall.

When does it flower?

Mainly through spring, with scattered flowers either side in a mild season. Light tip pruning after the main flush encourages a heavier display the following year.