Candy Stripe Dog Rose

Candy Stripe Dog Rose (Bauera rubioides 'Candy Stripe') is an airy native shrub about 50cm high and 1.2m wide, with fine green leaves and clear pink bell flowers. Despite the name it is no rose: in habit it is much closer to a boronia. Plants flower for most of the year when well watered, and mainly in spring in drier gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers for months. Pinky mauve bells open for most of the year on well watered plants, with new magenta buds forming as the old flowers fade.
• Larger, clearer blooms. The flowers are bigger than those of the Rose Carpet form, and the clear pink stands out against the small green leaves.
• A flexible size. It stays lower in sunny, exposed sites and grows taller in shady, sheltered ones, so you can tune it to the spot.
• Right for pots. Its fine texture and small bells suit tubs and window boxes as well as the garden.
• Easy care. One light clip in early spring is most of the work.

Where it works best

Groundcover and borders. Plant 60cm apart for a low, flowing drift at the front of a border. In sheltered shade it will lift above knee height.

Pots, tubs and window boxes. The small leaves and bell flowers are best appreciated up close, where you can see them.

Moist native gardens. It suits a sheltered bed with mulch and regular water, beside ferns and other fine leaved natives.

Growing Candy Stripe Dog Rose in Australia

Position and climate. Sun to part shade, with a preference for a shady, sheltered spot. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens. Plants in full sun stay lower and more compact, and they need more water.

Soil. Light, moist, well draining soil that is neutral to acid. Heavy clay and dry sand both disappoint, so work in compost and mulch before planting.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly for the first 12 weeks to build a good root system, and keep the water regular afterwards, because this is not a drought plant. Renew the mulch each year, especially in sunny sites, to reduce water loss at the roots.

Pruning. Trim lightly in spring, once the frosts have passed, to encourage new flowering growth. Avoid heavy cuts.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Candy Stripe Dog Rose as tube stock and as 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tubes are young plants in an 80mm deep tube that establish quickly and are the value option for covering ground, while the 140mm pots in packs of 10 give a fuller plant from day one. Plant soon after delivery and keep the water regular.

Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the tube shows as sold out, the grower has none ready, and the notify button on this page emails you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More Australian native plants
• Groundcover plants
• Plants for pots and tubs
• Low growing plants for garden edges

Common questions

Is it related to a real rose?

No. The common name is a poor guide, because this is an Australian native with the airy look of a boronia.

How big will it get?

About 50cm high and 1.2m wide. It is shorter in sunny exposed sites and taller where it is shaded and sheltered.

Will it cope with dry conditions?

Not well. It prefers moist, well drained soil and regular water, and in dry gardens it flowers mainly in spring.