Little Leaf Phyllanthus

Little Leaf Phyllanthus (Phyllanthus minutiflora) is an Australian native shrub grown almost entirely for texture. It reaches about 60cm tall and 60cm wide, carrying masses of tiny leaves along fine arching stems, so it reads as a soft green cloud rather than a solid block of foliage. The flowers are minute and easy to miss, which is the point: this plant earns its place on form alone.

Why you'll love it

• Texture no broadleaf shrub can give you. Tiny, densely packed leaves make a fine surface that softens hard edges and paving.
• It stays genuinely small. At roughly 60cm by 60cm it fits under a window or along a narrow path where a normal shrub would swamp everything.
• Humid summers and dry spells both suit it. Humidity tolerant and drought tolerant once established, low maintenance in the real sense.
• It takes a trim. Clip it and it thickens, so it works as a loose mound or a clean low hedge.

Where it works best

Low hedging and edging. Plant 40cm apart for a low hedge. At that spacing the plants knit into a continuous run rather than sitting as separate balls, and a light clip twice a year keeps the face flat.

Pots and containers. A 300mm to 400mm pot suits it, and containers let you move it under cover in a cold snap.

Small gardens. Use it as the middle layer between groundcovers and taller shrubs, doing the job a clipped box hedge would do in a cooler garden.

Growing Little Leaf Phyllanthus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun through to partial shade, with partial shade giving the softest growth and full sun the densest. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It handles light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens should grow it in a pot that can be shifted.

Soil. Free draining soil is the main requirement. Work compost through the bed to hold a little moisture without holding water, then mulch 50mm to 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Moderate water while establishing, roughly twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring is all it needs.

Pruning. Tip prune from the day you plant to build density from the base up, then trim lightly in early spring and after the summer flush. Growth is slow, so take a little at a time rather than cutting hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes, both sold as packs: a 140mm pack of ten and a 200mm pack of six, sized for the way this plant is used. Ten plants at 40cm spacing gives roughly a 4m run of low hedge, and six 200mm plants give about 2.4m from a more advanced start.

Plants arrive bushy but young, and because growth is steady rather than fast, expect two seasons before a hedge run reads as continuous. Plants are packed to travel upright and 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

• Choosing the right edging plants for a garden bed
• Browse the full Australian native shrub range
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Plants scaled for small gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a low hedge?

Space plants 40cm apart in a single row. That is close enough for the canopies to meet within two seasons, and far enough apart that each plant keeps its own root run and stays evenly fed.

How fast does it grow?

Steadily rather than quickly. Plan on two seasons for a low hedge to close and reach its mature 60cm height, which is part of why it stays so tidy once it gets there.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. It is happiest in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and a hard or repeated frost will damage it. In colder districts grow it in a pot and shelter it over winter.