Grey Guinea Flower

Grey Guinea Flower (Hibbertia obtusifolia) is a low spreading native shrub that grows to about 60cm tall and 1.2m wide, covering itself in bright yellow open faced flowers over a long season. It is native to south-eastern Australia, frost hardy, drought tolerant and untroubled by poor soil, so it earns its place on the difficult ground where lawn and standard groundcovers give up.

Why you'll love it

• A long flowering season. Yellow flowers keep coming over months rather than putting on one short display, which is unusual in a groundcover this tough.
• Wide, not tall. At 60cm high and 1.2m across, one plant covers real ground while staying low enough to see over from a path.
• Genuinely hardy. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and happy in poor soil, so it survives the sunny bank nobody wants to water.
• Bees and butterflies. The open flowers are easy for insects to work, so it does real habitat duty in a native garden.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 60cm apart for a low spreading cover. The plants meet within two seasons and suppress weeds without the smothering habit of an exotic groundcover.

Rockeries. It drapes over rock and gravel naturally, and the drainage a rockery provides is exactly what it prefers.

Slopes and retaining walls. On a batter or above a wall it spills over the edge and holds surface soil, doing a job that is otherwise hard to fill without irrigation.

Borders and edging. Along a garden bed it gives a soft yellow flowering edge rather than a clipped formal line.

Growing Grey Guinea Flower in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering, though it accepts partial shade with fewer blooms and a more open habit. It grows in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and being frost hardy it handles cold southern winters and tableland frost.

Soil. Poor, sandy and gravelly soils suit it. Drainage matters far more than fertility, so avoid heavy clay that holds water, or plant on a raised mound. Mulch lightly and keep the mulch off the crown.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer while roots establish, then only in long dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring if you feed at all; standard garden fertiliser can damage it.

Pruning. A light trim after the main flush keeps the plant compact and encourages more flowers. Avoid cutting back into bare old wood, which does not reliably reshoot.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: tubes, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are small, young plants and the economical way to cover a bank, since they establish quickly and catch a larger plant within a season. The 140mm plants are further along and give a visible result in the first year.

Neither size arrives looking like the mature plant. Expect a modest tuft that spreads sideways over two seasons to fill its 1.2m width. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Native plants with yellow flowers
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Plants suited to rockeries and gravel gardens
• Softening retaining walls with planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Sixty centimetres apart for a continuous low cover. Wider spacing still works if you are happy to wait a third season, or to mulch between plants in the meantime.

How long does it flower for?

The main flush is through spring, but it produces yellow flowers over an extended season rather than in one short burst, particularly in full sun.

Will it handle frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and comes from south-eastern Australia, so cold southern gardens and tableland districts suit it well.

Can I grow it in a pot?

It will grow in a container with free draining mix, though it is happier in the ground where it can spread. Choose a wide, shallow pot rather than a deep one.