Little Dugald Metrosideros

Little Dugald Metrosideros (Metrosideros collina 'Little Dugald') is the compact answer to a hedge on an exposed, salty block. It holds at about 2m tall and 1.5m wide, with small dark leaves and crimson brush flowers that honeyeaters work over for weeks. Wind, salt spray and dry spells barely register, which is why it earns a place where softer hedges brown off. Planted 80cm apart it closes into a low, dense wall.

Why you'll love it

• Built for the coast. Salt and wind tolerant, so it keeps clean foliage on a front boundary that would burn a more tender hedge.
• Compact by nature. About 2m by 1.5m unclipped, so far less trimming than a hedge plant that wants to be 5m.
• Flowers the birds find. Crimson brush flowers through the warm months bring honeyeaters and bees straight into the garden.
• Drought tolerant once established. Tough leaves and deep roots let it ride out a dry summer on very little water.

Where it works best

Low hedging and screening. Plant 80cm apart in a single row for a hedge held between 1m and 2m. Closer together and the bases shade each other out; wider apart and the gaps take an extra season to close.

Coastal gardens. Salt laden wind is why most seaside hedges fail, and this one takes it. Use it along a front fence, or as a windbreak for a more tender bed behind.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A pot 400mm or wider suits a single plant, and a container naturally holds it nearer 1.2m to 1.5m.

Growing Little Dugald Metrosideros in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the tightest growth. Part shade is tolerated, but the plant opens up and flowers far less. Tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens suit it. It takes light frost only, so cold inland and tableland districts want a hardier hedge plant.

Soil. Drainage matters more than fertility. Sandy coastal soil suits it, heavy clay does not, so mound the bed and work coarse grit through the backfill on clay. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper right off. A low phosphorus controlled release fertiliser in early spring is enough, and heavy feeding buys leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Trim straight after flowering. It reshoots freely from cut wood, so a hedge can be tightened twice a year and a neglected plant cut back harder without sulking.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: 140mm pots sold in packs of ten, 200mm pots in packs of six, and single 300mm plants. For a hedge the 140mm pack is the value option, since ten plants at 80cm spacing runs eight metres of boundary. A single 300mm plant is already branched enough for a pot.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a quiet few weeks, then visible new growth within about six weeks in warm weather, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens
• How to plan a coastal feature garden
• Compare screening plants from 1m to 2m
• See the wider hedging range

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Eighty centimetres apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies knit while each plant still fills out from the ground, so the hedge reads as solid within two seasons rather than staying patchy at the bottom.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. It is at home in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. In a cold district, grow it in a pot that can move under cover, or choose a frost hardy hedge instead.

How big does it really get?

About 2m tall and 1.5m wide left unclipped, which is genuinely compact for a metrosideros. Two light trims a year hold it anywhere from 1m upwards.