White Myrtle

White Myrtle (Hypocalymma angustifolium) is a compact Western Australian shrub that smothers itself in small white flowers through winter and spring, then holds them as they flush pink with age. It reaches about 1m tall and 1m wide, and the fine narrow foliage is aromatic when brushed. Few natives this size flower so heavily on so little care.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers that change colour as they age. Buds open white along the stems and gradually take on pink, so an established plant carries both shades at once.
• Aromatic foliage. The narrow leaves release a clean myrtle scent when crushed or brushed past, which makes it worth planting beside a path.
• A true one metre shrub. At 1m by 1m it fills a border or a pot without ever outgrowing the space or needing structural pruning.
• Copes with wet winters and dry summers. Drought tolerant once established, unfussy about poor soil, and one of the few dryland natives that tolerates ground sitting wet in winter.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 80cm apart for a low mass planting. At that spacing the plants meet into a continuous low band without crowding each other into open centres.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm pot with free draining native mix suits it, and the compact habit means it holds shape in a courtyard for years.

Bee and butterfly gardens. The long flowering window through winter and early spring fills a gap when little else is offering nectar.

Growing White Myrtle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade. This is a plant for Mediterranean and warm temperate gardens, so it performs best in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and inland New South Wales. It struggles in humid subtropical and tropical gardens, where summer humidity encourages root and stem rot.

Soil. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal and poor ground is no obstacle. On clay, plant on a raised mound. It will accept winter wet, but not water standing over it in the heat of summer.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A light application of low phosphorus native fertiliser after flowering is all it needs.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering, taking no more than a third of the growth. This keeps the plant dense and prevents the woody open centre that untrimmed plants develop by year four. It only takes light frost, so protect young plants in cold districts.

What to expect when it arrives

White Myrtle is grown as tube stock. Tubes are young plants, usually 15 to 25cm tall with a few branches, and they establish faster than larger stock because the root system has not begun to circle. Expect a modest first year, then a full flowering display in the second winter.

Tubes are packed upright with the root plug intact and travel well. Plant or pot them on within a few days of arrival. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full range of Australian native shrubs
• A guide to fragrant and aromatic garden plants
• Low growing plant ideas for borders and edges
• Compare plants that feed bees and butterflies

Common questions

How many plants do I need for a border?

Space them 80cm apart, so roughly five plants for four metres of edging. Stagger a second row at the same spacing if you want a wider band.

When does it flower?

Through winter and into spring, which is its main value. The white flowers hold for weeks and take on pink tones as they mature.

Will it grow in Brisbane or the tropics?

It is not a reliable choice there. Sustained summer humidity is the limiting factor rather than heat, so gardens in Mediterranean and warm temperate zones give far better results.