Poorinda Ballerina Mint Bush

Poorinda Ballerina Mint Bush (Prostanthera 'Poorinda Ballerina') is an Australian bred native shrub that covers itself in white flowers with a purple throat every spring. It grows fast to about 2m tall and 2m wide, and the foliage releases a clean mint scent whenever you brush past it. Bees and honeyeaters arrive with the flowers, which makes it one of the better small screening plants for a wildlife garden.

Why you'll love it

• Aromatic foliage. The leaves carry a genuine mint fragrance, released by touch, so it earns a spot beside a path or a seat.
• A spring display you cannot miss. White flowers with purple throats smother the bush, rather than appearing in scattered clusters.
• Fast to fill a gap. It reaches 2m by 2m quickly, which makes it useful when a new garden needs cover in a hurry.
• Native and hardy. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established and wind tolerant, so it copes with an exposed southern garden.
• Wildlife value. Bees, butterflies and honeyeaters all work the flowers through the flowering season.

Where it works best

Informal hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart for a flowering hedge. It closes in within two seasons and screens to about 2m, which suits a side boundary or a courtyard divider better than a formal clipped hedge.

Feature planting. A single plant against a fence or in a native bed is enough, because in spring it becomes the focus of the garden on its own.

Small gardens. At 2m each way it takes up less room than most flowering natives of the same impact, and it responds well to being kept smaller by pruning.

Growing Poorinda Ballerina Mint Bush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade, in warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It is frost hardy once established. It is not suited to the humid tropics and subtropics, where summer wet is the usual cause of sudden losses.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the one non negotiable. It wants a light, gritty or sandy soil, and on clay it needs a raised mound with coarse material worked through. Mulch lightly and keep the mulch off the stem.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then rarely. Established plants resent wet feet far more than dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser once in early spring, and nothing heavier.

Pruning. Prune every year straight after flowering, taking up to a third off. Mint bushes go woody and thin without it, and they do not reliably reshoot from bare old wood, so keep pruning to soft growth.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock for planting a long hedge economically, 140mm plants in packs of ten, and 250mm plants in packs of three for quicker cover. Tubes are small on arrival but establish fast, and they usually catch larger stock within two seasons.

Prostanthera is soft stemmed and can look tired straight out of the box. Plant promptly, water in with a seaweed tonic, and give it a fortnight before judging. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider Australian native shrub range
• A guide to the most fragrant plants
• Compare options in bee and butterfly plants
• Consider other alternative hedging plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row gives an informal flowering hedge that closes within two seasons. Wider spacing suits a native bed where you want each plant to show its shape.

Why do mint bushes die suddenly?

Almost always root rot from wet or heavy soil. Plant on a mound, avoid overwatering established plants, and never let mulch pile against the stem.

How hard can I prune it?

Take up to a third off after flowering, staying in leafy growth. Cutting back into bare old wood often kills the branch, so prune little and often rather than hard and late.