Fine Leaf Pink Myoporum

Fine Leaf Pink Myoporum (Myoporum parvifolium 'Fine Leaf Pink') is a fast growing Australian native groundcover that stays under 15cm high and spreads to about 2m across. Fine bright green foliage hugs the ground and roots as it runs, and from late spring small pink and white star flowers cover the mat and draw bees and butterflies in numbers. For covering ground quickly on a bank, a verge or a hot dry bed, few natives do it faster.

Why you'll love it

• Fast cover. One of the quickest native groundcovers available, spreading to 2m and closing gaps in a season or two.
• A bee and butterfly magnet. Masses of small pink and white flowers keep pollinators busy through the warmer months.
• Thrives on neglect. Drought tolerant, frost hardy, salt tolerant and content in poor soil once established.
• Holds soil in place. It roots down as it spreads, which makes it genuinely useful for stabilising loose slopes and batters.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for full groundcover. Given its speed, that spacing closes over within a season or two, and tighter planting simply wastes plants.

Retaining walls and slopes. Plant along the top of a wall and let it cascade down the face, or across an embankment where its rooting stems bind loose soil against runoff.

Coastal gardens and rockeries. Salt tolerance suits exposed seaside blocks, and it drapes neatly between rocks without hiding them.

Growing Fine Leaf Pink Myoporum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the densest mat and the heaviest flowering. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens, and it is frost hardy once established. Wet tropical gardens are the exception, where humidity and heavy summer rain encourage rot.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility. Sandy, gravelly and poor soils need no improvement. On heavy clay, mound the bed up by 150mm to 200mm and mix in coarse sand, because sitting wet is the main cause of patches dying out.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. A light dose of low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring is ample, and overfeeding produces soft leggy growth that flowers poorly.

Pruning. Trim back stems that stray onto paths at any time of year. If a planting becomes woody or open in the centre, shear the whole area back by a third in early spring and it will regrow densely.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: tubes, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are the practical choice for a large area, since this plant grows quickly enough that small stock catches up within a season. The 140mm packs give wider plants and a filled out look sooner on a visible bank.

One thing to know before planting: the foliage is toxic to livestock, so it is not suitable for paddocks, horse properties or any bed a grazing animal can reach. It is not marked pet friendly for the same reason. 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

• A guide to choosing groundcover plants
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Compare plants for retaining walls and slopes
• Find more plants that attract bees and butterflies

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 1m spacing, roughly one plant per square metre. Because it spreads to about 2m wide, that gives generous overlap once mature and there is little benefit in planting closer.

How quickly will it cover the ground?

In a warm sunny position with water through the first summer, expect a closed mat within one to two seasons at 1m spacing. Growth is slower in cool temperate gardens and through winter.

Is it safe around pets and livestock?

The foliage is toxic to livestock, so keep it out of paddocks and away from grazing animals. It is not classed as pet friendly, so choose another groundcover if your dog grazes on plants.