Zena Coastal Rosemary

Zena Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa 'Zena') is the tidy metre by metre form of Australia's most reliable native shrub. It naturally grows as a dense grey green dome, carries small white flowers most of the year, and tolerates practically everything the country can serve up: frost, drought, salt gales, humidity and hungry sand. For low hedges, borders and mass planting that simply must work, Zena is the safe answer that still looks designed.

Why you'll love it

• The one metre problem, solved. Zena finishes at about 1m by 1m, exactly the size low hedges and path borders call for, with little trimming to hold it there.
• Flowers with no off season. The small white blooms appear in flushes through the whole year, quietly feeding bees and butterflies.
• Survives everywhere. From cool temperate frost to arid inland heat to front row coastal salt, the tolerance list covers every Australian climate zone we plant.
• Fast to an established look. Quick growing for a compact native, closing a border in its first full season.
• Clips like box, grows like a native. Takes formal shaping and ball pruning while needing a fraction of the water exotic hedges want.

Where it works best

Low hedging and borders. Plant 600mm apart for a continuous low hedge; a 6m path edge takes 10 or 11 plants.

Coastal gardens. Its natural home is the cliff line, so exposed beachside beds that burn everything else suit it perfectly.

Mass planting. Drifts on banks, verges and commercial style plantings stay even, dense and green with no irrigation once established.

Topiary and pots. Single plants clip into neat spheres for pots and formal beds.

Growing Zena Coastal Rosemary in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the densest dome; light part shade is acceptable. It performs in every mainland climate zone, subtropical to arid to cool temperate, and shrugs off frost once established.

Soil. Anything that drains, including poor sand and gravel. On heavy clay, mound the bed slightly. Mulch with 50mm to 75mm, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Water deeply weekly through the first summer, then rainfall is usually enough. A light native safe fertiliser in spring is all it wants; heavy feeding softens the shape.

Pruning. A light all over trim after each main flush, two or three times a year, keeps the dome tight for decades. Avoid cutting into old bare wood; little and often is the rule.

What to expect when it arrives

Zena ships in hedge run formats, 140mm pots in packs of 10 and 200mm in packs of 6, plus single 300mm and 330mm plants for instant borders, with 250mm packs of 3 grown to order at times and shown as backorder (we confirm timing with you first). Delivery is Australia wide, from $29.95,. Plants establish quickly with new growth in weeks during the warm months. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse Australian native shrubs
• More coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Plants for mass planting

Common questions

Is it related to kitchen rosemary?

No, only by look. Coastal rosemary is an Australian native named for its similar foliage; it is not edible, but it is far tougher in a garden.

How far apart for a low hedge?

600mm apart in a single row. The plants touch within a season and read as one clipped line by the second summer.

Does it really flower all year?

In most gardens, yes, in repeating flushes rather than one big show, with the heaviest bloom from spring through autumn. Very cold winters pause it briefly.

How is Zena different from ordinary coastal rosemary?

Size and neatness. The straight species runs to 1.5m or more and gets leggy; Zena was selected to stop near 1m with a naturally dense, rounded habit that needs far less correction.