Sweet Privacy™ Murraya

Sweet Privacy murraya (Murraya paniculata 'Sweet Privacy') is an Australian bred selection developed for screening, reaching about 3m tall and 2m wide untrimmed. It carries the same glossy foliage and orange blossom scented white flowers as standard mock orange, with one difference that matters: it sets very little seed, so it suits gardeners near bushland. Planted 75cm apart it closes into a solid hedge.

Why you'll love it

• Bred for screening. Denser and more upright than seedling murraya, so it holds a narrow hedge line without spreading into the lawn.
• Low seed setting. Standard murraya has naturalised in parts of coastal Queensland through bird spread berries. This selection sets very little seed, a real advantage near bush.
• Fragrance that carries. Flowers open in flushes after warm rain, several times between spring and autumn, and the scent reaches past the plant.
• It responds to shears. Every trim thickens it, so it shapes cleanly into hedges, balls and clipped standards. Heat, humidity and dry spells are all handled once it is settled.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 75cm apart in a single row for a dense hedge. That is tighter than standard murraya spacing and suits the narrower habit.

Anywhere you walk past it. Front paths, entries, courtyards and bedroom windows. Scent is wasted at the back fence.

Topiary and feature planting. It clips into balls, cones and standards. A matched pair either side of a doorway is the classic use for larger pots.

Growing murraya in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and densest hedge, though it accepts part shade with a looser habit. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so cold districts want a sheltered north facing position or a pot.

Soil. Free draining. It will not sit in wet ground, so dig compost through heavy clay or plant on a raised mound, then mulch 75mm deep clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. Feed with a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and midsummer. Yellowing leaves on an established hedge usually mean hunger, not thirst.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then trim after each flowering flush. It shoots readily from old wood, so a leggy hedge refurnishes after a hard cut back in late winter.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown from tube stock and 140mm packs through 200mm, 250mm, 300mm, 400mm and 500mm pots, up to advanced 45L and 100L plants. Tubes and 140mm stock suit a long boundary, arriving around 15cm to 30cm and catching larger stock within two seasons. The 250mm to 400mm sizes arrive near knee height, and 45L and above is close to an instant screen.

Plants are trimmed and packed for transit, so expect some leaf drop on arrival. Water the day they land, then plant. New growth usually starts within three to four weeks in warm months. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Mock orange care guide: hedging, pruning and varieties
• Screening plants that finish between 2m and 4m
• More fragrant plants for paths and entries
• Min a Min, the dwarf murraya for hedges under 1m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant a hedge?

Seventy five centimetres apart, centre to centre, roughly thirteen plants for a ten metre run. The tighter spacing suits the upright habit and closes the hedge sooner.

How is it different from ordinary murraya?

It is an Australian bred selection with a denser, more upright habit and very low seed set. That last point matters near bushland, where berries from the common form are spread by birds.

Can I keep it lower than 3m?

Yes. Two or three trims a year hold it between about 1.5m and 3m. For a hedge under 1m the dwarf murrayas are a better starting point.