Mallee Carpet Creeping Boobialla

Mallee Carpet Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium 'Mallee Carpet') is a very low, wide native groundcover. It stays only 10cm to 15cm high but spreads 2m to 3m, covering banks and bare ground with soft green foliage. Masses of white flowers appear from late spring to early autumn, and it is frost tolerant and comfortable near the coast.

Why you'll love it

• Fast cover. It grows quickly and spreads to carpet the ground, cooling the soil and keeping weeds down.
• Months of white flowers. Starry white blooms cover the mat from late spring through to early autumn.
• Good for pollinators. Bees and other pollinators visit the flowers through the long season.
• Soft, dense foliage. The broad, soft green leaves knit into a thick, very low mat that looks tidy without trimming each week.
• Frost and coast tolerant. It is frost tolerant, copes with coastal conditions and grows in most soils.

Where it works best

Banks and slopes. Plant it at the top of an embankment and let it trail down. Plant 1m apart, closer where you want faster cover on a steep, bare bank.

Around established shrubs. Use it to blanket the ground beneath shrubs and in hard to reach corners, where it helps to control weeds.

Coastal and sunny gardens. In a full sun position it keeps its dense habit and flowers freely, including in gardens exposed to sea air.

Growing Mallee Carpet Creeping Boobialla in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun suits it best. It is frost tolerant and copes with coastal conditions, so it grows across subtropical, temperate and Mediterranean gardens.

Soil. Plant in free draining soil rich in organic matter. It accepts most soils, but poorly drained spots will not suit it.

Water and feed. It is fast growing, so mulch and water well until established. After that, feed once a year with a controlled release native fertiliser.

Pruning. Prune once a year, trimming lightly to refresh growth and keep the flowering strong.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Mallee Carpet Creeping Boobialla as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tubes are the economical way to cover a big area, while the 140mm pots give you a bigger plant to start with. Choose your size on this page.

Our grower supplies the tube stock and is not always able to. If the tube reads as sold out, press the notify button on this page and we will email you the day it returns.

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

• The myoporum and creeping boobialla range
• Top plants for ground cover
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

About 1m apart for continuous cover. Closer planting gives a faster result on a steep bank, and each plant will spread 2m to 3m in time.

Will it cope with frost and salt air?

It is frost tolerant and copes with coastal conditions, which makes it a dependable cover for exposed gardens.

Does it need pruning?

Once a year. A light trim refreshes the growth and encourages more flowers. Otherwise it needs little attention once established.