Phyllanthus ‘Waterfall’

Phyllanthus 'Waterfall' (Phyllanthus cochinchinensis 'Waterfall') is a screening shrub with the texture of a fern and the habit of a small weeping tree. It grows to about 2m tall and 1.5m wide, with fine arching stems that layer into a soft green curtain instead of the hard clipped wall a traditional hedge gives you. Where a solid hedge would feel heavy, this softens the boundary and still screens it.

Why you'll love it

• A screen that moves. Fine weeping foliage catches the breeze, giving privacy without the blunt look of a clipped hedge.
• Right height for a fence line. At about 2m it covers a standard fence and a little above, which is all most suburban blocks need.
• Fast to fill. A planted row closes into a screen faster than most fine textured shrubs.
• Low maintenance once away. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and comfortable in humidity, with one trim a year.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a soft weeping screen. At that spacing the fine growth interlocks into a continuous curtain while each plant keeps its arching shape.

Informal hedging, feature planting and pots. It takes a trim well and can be held lower than 2m, though the appeal is in the loose form, so shape it rather than shearing it flat. A single plant in a 500mm pot reads as a small weeping specimen beside a doorway.

Growing Phyllanthus 'Waterfall' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the best weeping form, though it takes part shade with a looser habit. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It tolerates light frost only, so cold inland, tableland and southern gardens need a sheltered position or a different screening plant.

Soil. Free draining soil of almost any type. Work compost through the bed, and on heavy clay raise the row on a low mound so water does not sit at the roots. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer to establish the row evenly, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps the foliage dense, which is what makes the screen work.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then one shaping trim a year. Cutting the arching stems back hard removes the weeping character for a season, so trim little and often.

What to expect when it arrives

It is currently grown in one size: a single tube. These are young plants, well under knee height, and they establish quickly, which keeps the cost of a long boundary run reasonable. Expect roughly two seasons for a 1m spaced row to read as a continuous screen in warm conditions, longer at the cooler end of its range.

Tubes are priced to be bought in numbers, and a screen only works as a row, so most customers order a full run. Stock is packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. The fine foliage may look flattened on arrival and lifts within a fortnight, under our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare screening plants that finish at 1m to 2m
• Browse the full hedging and screening range
• Alternatives to the standard hedging shrubs
• How to plant and maintain a hedge

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. That spacing lets the fine arching growth interlock into a continuous curtain without the plants competing at the roots, and it closes in around two seasons.

How tall will it actually get?

About 2m tall and 1.5m wide, which suits a standard fence line. It can be held lower with light trimming, though it will not screen a two storey outlook.

Will it cope with frost?

Light frost only. In cool temperate and tableland gardens the soft weeping growth burns, so it needs a warm sheltered aspect or should be replaced with a frost hardy screening plant.