Prostrate Tick Bush

Prostrate Tick Bush (Kunzea ambigua) is the low, spreading form of a tough Australian coastal native, growing 0.6 to 1m tall and 1 to 2m wide. In spring it is covered in clusters of fringed white, honey-scented flowers that pollinators love, over small, slender, aromatic leaves. It binds banks, copes with wind and asks for very little.

Why you'll love it

• Very tough. It handles wind, heavy rain and frost, and stands up to humidity as far north as south east Queensland.
• Binds banks and sand. A spreading plant that holds loose ground, so it suits erosion control and sand-based coastal sites.
• Spring blossom. Fringed white flowers smother the plant in spring and carry a honey scent.
• Great for wildlife. It is an excellent pollinator plant, and the dense growth gives small mammals shelter.
• A garden-sized tick bush. The upright species can reach 3m, but this form stays under a metre high.

Where it works best

Banks and slopes. Plant 1.5m apart for bank binding and erosion control. The spreading stems knit together and hold loose soil.

Coastal and exposed gardens. It grows on sandy soils near the coast in the wild, so it is a natural choice for windy seaside beds and dune edges.

Cottage and wildlife gardens. Use it at the front of a native or cottage planting, where its spring flowers feed bees and butterflies and its stems shelter small creatures.

Growing Prostrate Tick Bush in Australia

Position and climate. Bright or full sun suits it best. The parent species grows across Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales up to south east Queensland, so cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical gardens all suit it. It tolerates frost and copes with wind and rain.

Soil. In the wild it grows in sandy soil, and it is happy in most free draining soils. Avoid permanently wet, boggy spots.

Water and feed. Water regularly while the roots establish, then leave it largely to the weather. It needs little feeding on sandy soils.

Pruning. Prune lightly after flowering to shape the plant and encourage flowers again next spring.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Prostrate Tick Bush as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly once planted, in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Tubes suit large banks and mass plantings, and the bigger pots give faster cover. Tubes are supplied by our grower, so availability comes and goes. When the tube shows as sold out the grower has none, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is back.

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 Australian native shrubs
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Plants for retaining walls and banks
• Designing a native garden to attract wildlife

Common questions

How is this different from the standard tick bush?

Size. The standard tick bush grows 1.5 to 3m tall. This prostrate form stays under 1m high and spreads 1 to 2m wide, so it suits small gardens and banks.

Will it grow at the beach?

Yes. It copes with coastal and exposed locations and stabilises sandy ground, so it is a sound choice for seaside gardens and dune edges.

When should I prune it?

Straight after the spring flowers finish. A light trim shapes the plant and encourages good flowering the following year.