Beach Bird's Eye Plant

Beach Bird's Eye Plant (Alectryon coriaceus) is an Australian native screen for front line coastal blocks: windy, sandy and dry. It makes a dense shrub or small tree of about 4m tall and 3m wide, with thick leathery leaves that shrug off salt spray. The density runs from the ground up without trimming.

Why you'll love it

• Built for the coast. It grows naturally on eastern Australian foredunes and headlands, so salt laden wind is normal for it.
• Dense without work. Glossy foliage carried to the base means it screens as a shrub, not a row of bare trunks.
• Low maintenance. No spraying, no feeding programme, no staking.
• Birds work it hard. Small black seeds sit in a bright red fleshy aril, the source of the name and the draw for birds.
• Drought tolerant. Once its roots are down it copes with dry spells.

Where it works best

Coastal screening. Plant 1.5m apart. Canopies meet within two to three seasons and stay furnished at the bottom, where most coastal hedges thin out.

Windbreaks. A double staggered row at 1.5m filters wind rather than blocking it, and shelters softer planting behind.

Hedging. It clips well and holds anywhere from 2m to its full 4m, or makes a relaxed informal boundary untrimmed.

Growing Beach Bird's Eye Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens want a hardier screen.

Soil. Sandy and gravelly soils suit it best; drainage matters more than fertility. On clay, mound the planting and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring is ample.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density, then trim once a year in late spring to hold height. It recovers from a hard cut.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: 200mm pots in packs of six, and advanced 100L specimens. The 200mm plants are knee height and the sensible choice for a full screen line at 1.5m spacing. A 100L plant has real height on day one and suits a feature or a short run.

Some leaf bronzing or dropped leaves after transit is normal. Expect a quiet month, then steady growth through the warm season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Bird attracting native plants
• Browse the coastal and salt tolerant range
• Screening plants in the 2m to 4m band
• More Australian native shrubs

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One and a half metres apart in a single row. The canopies knit together while each plant fills out from the base.

How tall will it actually get?

In a garden, expect 4m tall and 3m wide. Records of 10m come from sheltered coastal forest, not cultivated plants, and a yearly trim holds it lower.

Will it grow inland?

Yes, in frost free or lightly frosted areas with reasonable drainage. Cold tableland and hard frosting inland gardens burn the young growth.

How quickly does it establish?

Growth is moderate. Allow three to four years from 200mm stock for a screen you would call complete, or start at 100L for immediate height.