Hibbertia 'Little Rocker'

Hibbertia 'Little Rocker' (Hibbertia 'Little Rocker') is a compact Australian native groundcover that holds a low mat about 30cm high and roughly 1m across, scattered with bright yellow flowers through the warmer months. It is the plant for the strip nobody wants to maintain: a hot bank, the gravel beside a driveway, the top of a retaining wall.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground without climbing. A dense mat at about 30cm high and 1m wide gives weed suppression at soil level and no scrambling into the plants behind it.
• Clear yellow flowers over a long run. The open buttercup shaped flowers appear across the warm months rather than in one short burst.
• Made for difficult spots. Drought tolerant, salt tolerant and happy in poor soil, which covers hot slopes, coastal blocks and the compacted edges of a new build.
• A native that earns its place. Local bees and butterflies use the flowers, and the foliage stays green through the year rather than dying back.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 50cm apart for full cover. The plants meet within two seasons and hold the soil surface, which is what stops weeds rather than any amount of mulch.

Retaining walls and slopes. The low spreading habit softens the top of a wall and spills over the edge, and the roots help bind a bank too steep to mow.

Rockeries, borders and edging. Between rocks or along a path edge it gives colour at ground level without the height that closes a border in.

Growing Hibbertia 'Little Rocker' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the densest mat and the most flower, though it accepts light shade at the cost of some flowering. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It handles light frost only, so a hard frosting inland or tableland garden wants a warm north facing position.

Soil. Free draining above all. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal and poor soil is genuinely fine, so do not enrich the bed. On clay, plant into a raised bed and use a coarse mulch that lets water through.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to get the roots down, then only during long dry spells. A low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring helps if growth looks tired, though most plants never need feeding.

Pruning. Shear the mat back lightly after the main flowering to keep it compact and encourage branching. Avoid cutting into bare old wood, which is slow to reshoot.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes. Tube stock, currently listed on backorder, is a small young plant with a few short trailing stems, and it is the sensible choice for covering an area because groundcovers establish quickly and buying small keeps a large planting affordable. The 140mm pack of ten gives stronger plants with more spread already made.

Both sizes travel well, and a little leaf droop on arrival will grow out within a fortnight. Plant into free draining soil, water in well, and expect the mat to close over in the second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Native plants with yellow flowers
• Browse the full Australian natives range
• Compare other groundcover plants
• What suits retaining walls and slopes

Common questions

How many plants do I need to cover an area?

At 50cm spacing, allow four plants per square metre. A pack of ten covers about two and a half square metres and will close over within two seasons in a sunny position.

Will it handle a hot western facing bank?

Yes, that is one of its best uses. It is drought tolerant and heat is not the problem, poor drainage is. Make sure water runs through the bank rather than sitting in it.

Does it cope with frost?

Light frost only. In cold inland and tableland gardens expect some browning on exposed growth over winter, which shears off in spring. In a hard frosting district it is not the safest choice.