Grey Myrtle

Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia), also sold as cinnamon myrtle, is an Australian native that screens like a hedge and still looks like a feature tree. Left to grow it reaches about 5m tall and 3m wide; clipped, it holds a dense wall of small aromatic leaves at whatever height you set. In late spring it covers itself in creamy white flowers, and the papery calyces persist for weeks afterwards, ageing to soft pink long after the petals have gone.

Why you'll love it

• A screen or a small tree, your call. Trimmed twice a year it holds a hedge from about 2m up. Left alone it lifts into a graceful multi stemmed tree.
• Aromatic leaves you can use. The foliage is scented and used as a bush food spice, so a hedge along a path releases it every time you brush past.
• Handles damp ground and salt. Wet feet tolerant and coastal tolerant together, which suits low lying blocks and beachside boundaries where most hedges struggle.
• Feeds birds and pollinators. Bees and butterflies work the flowers, and birds shelter in the dense interior.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row. That matches its natural width, so the canopies knit into a solid screen without the plants fighting each other for water.

Small gardens and narrow boundaries. At around 3m wide it is one of the few native screening trees that suits a side setback.

Damp corners and drainage lines. Ground that stays wet after rain suits it, which makes it a real option where a lilly pilly would sulk.

Growing Grey Myrtle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the heaviest flowering; part shade works if the screen can be looser. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens want a sheltered warm wall or a hardier hedge.

Soil. Not fussy. It copes with heavy ground and periodic wet, and does equally well on lighter soil with compost worked through. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off. A controlled release native fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps the foliage dark.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then trim after flowering. It reshoots readily, so a hedge left too long can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in six sizes: tube, 140mm and 200mm packs, then 300mm, 25L and 45L. Tube and 140mm plants are young and single stemmed, and for a long boundary they are the sensible economics, a season slower to close but quick to establish. The 25L and 45L plants arrive already branched, carrying real height on day one.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet few weeks while the roots move out, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to plant a hedge and keep it sharp
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Browse the full Australian natives range
• Native plants that bring birds in

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One and a half metres apart in a single row. Closer planting does not close the gap any faster and only makes watering and feeding harder as the plants mature.

Can I cook with the leaves?

Yes. They are used as a bush food spice, usually dried and ground, with a warm aniseed and cinnamon note. Pick mature leaves rather than stripping new growth.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only, and young plants are the most vulnerable. Where frosts are hard, plant it against a north facing wall, protect it for the first two winters, or choose a fully frost hardy screen instead.