Naringa Coastal Rosemary

Naringa Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa 'Naringa') is the native answer to box hedging: a neat shrub of about 1m tall and wide with fine grey green leaves and small white flowers that appear on and off all year. Selected for density, it clips into crisp low hedges and balls without the fuss box demands. Frost, drought, salt wind and poor soil all leave it unbothered.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers with no off season. The main flush comes in spring, then white blooms keep appearing in waves through the rest of the year, even mid winter in mild districts.
• Clips like box, grows like a native. Dense fine foliage takes tight shaping, so it suits formal low hedges and clipped balls while shrugging off conditions box resents.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and comfortable in salt wind and poor sandy soil.
• Quick to fill. A fast grower by westringia standards, closing a 60cm spaced hedge within about two seasons.
• Feeds the pollinators. Bees and butterflies work the white flowers for most of the year.

Where it works best

Hedging and edging. Plant 60cm apart in a single row for a dense hedge held anywhere from 40cm to 1m.

Coastal gardens. Coastal rosemary grows wild on exposed headlands along eastern Australia, so salt spray and onshore wind are home ground.

Mass planting and topiary. Set 60cm apart it knits into a low maintenance block of grey green; grown singly in a pot it makes an easy clipped ball either side of a doorway.

Growing Naringa coastal rosemary in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun keeps the habit tight; in part shade it grows but opens up. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates, and being frost hardy it is a safe native hedge for inland and southern gardens. The steamy wet tropics are the one climate where it struggles.

Soil. Any soil with drainage, from sand to loam, and it tolerates poor soil better than most hedging plants. On heavy clay, mound the bed about 20cm and work compost through before planting.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A light dose of controlled release native fertiliser in spring is all it needs.

Pruning. Trim little and often, after each main flush, rather than one hard annual cut. An established hedge holds its line with two or three quick passes a year.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Naringa in five ways: single tubes, a 140mm pack of 10, a 200mm pack of 6, a 250mm pack of 3 and single 300mm pots. Tubes are the sensible buy for a long hedge run, while the 250mm and 300mm sizes give instant structure. The packs keep the per plant cost down.

Plants travel well and settle fast, usually showing new growth within three to four weeks in the warmer months. Orders are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse our full range of Australian native plants.
• Compare more options in plants for coastal areas.
• Prefer a taller grey leafed screen? See Grey Box Coastal Rosemary.
• Weigh it against other hedging and screening plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant Naringa for a hedge?

Plant 60cm apart in a single row. That spacing closes into a solid hedge within about two seasons and keeps every plant furnished to the ground.

How low can I keep it?

Comfortably at 40cm to 50cm with regular clipping, which makes it a genuine native substitute for box edging. Left to grow it settles at about 1m tall and wide.

Will it handle frost?

Yes. Naringa is frost hardy and suits cool temperate and inland gardens. Young plants appreciate a season to toughen up before their first hard winter.

Does it cope with humidity?

Subtropical humidity is fine, particularly with free draining soil and a little airflow through the hedge. In the true wet tropics it is not the right plant.