Coastal Pink™ Correa

Coastal Pink Correa (Correa alba 'COR10') is a pink flowered form of the white correa that lines so much of the southern Australian coast. It grows to about 2m high and 2m wide, or smaller with pruning, with a strong growth habit and a dense cover of rounded grey green leaves, and it shrugs off salt wind, drought and frost. Bred by Ozbreed as a coastal filler and hedge, it is the correa for the boundary where the sea breeze burns everything else.

Why you'll love it

• Pink where the others are white. The flowers carry a clear pink tinge that sets it apart from ordinary Correa alba.
• Built for the coast. Correa alba grows naturally on dunes and headlands, and this form keeps that tolerance of salt and wind.
• Strong, dense growth. It fills space quickly and takes shaping, so a hedge closes up fast.
• Feeds the birds. Honeyeaters visit the flowers, which open mainly through autumn and winter.
• Low water once established. A deep soak in the longest dry spells is all it asks.

Where it works best

Hedging. Plant 80cm apart, one to two plants per linear metre, for a hedge anywhere from waist height to fence height, trimmed once or twice a year.

Coastal gardens. Use it as a filler between trees or along an exposed boundary, where it breaks the wind for softer plants behind it.

Mass planting. Set 80cm to 1m apart, one to two plants per square metre, as the medium shrub layer in native beds and on verges.

Growing Coastal Pink Correa in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean climates: Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT and southern New South Wales, with Sydney possible in well draining soil. Humid subtropical gardens are not its country.

Soil. It prefers reasonably drained soil but adapts to most types. In Sydney and anywhere with wet summers, drainage is what keeps it alive.

Water and feed. Water as needed for the first 8 to 13 weeks, with a chunky mulch over the roots. Once established it has low water needs. Feed with a slow release fertiliser, organic included, after pruning.

Pruning. Prune once a year to hold a semi-compact habit, or twice a year for a tidy hedge. It takes shaping well, and a trim after the main flowering keeps the hedge dense to the ground.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Coastal Pink Correa as tube stock, in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and as single 300mm pots. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long hedge and catch up fast given the strong growth habit, the 140mm packs give a hedge line within a season, and the 300mm plants are for a gap that needs filling now. Correa travels well and settles quickly when planted in autumn or spring.

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

• Browse the full correa range
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More coastal and salt tolerant plants
• A step by step guide to a low maintenance native garden

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Plant 80cm apart in a single row. The strong growth habit closes the gaps within two seasons, and closer planting only crowds the bases.

Can I keep it small?

Yes. Left alone it reaches about 2m each way, but it takes pruning well and holds at 1m to 1.2m with a trim once or twice a year.

Will it grow in Queensland?

We do not recommend it there. Correa alba is a plant of the cool southern coast, and humid summers with wet soil are what kill it.