Wonderful Westringia: Australia’s Hardworking Native Rosemary
Hardy, beautiful, wildlife-friendly and incredibly versatile — Westringia deserves a much bigger place in Australian gardens.
If you're looking for a plant that can cope with sun, drought, wind and coastal conditions while still looking beautiful for much of the year, Westringia deserves your attention.
Often called Coastal Rosemary or Native Rosemary, Westringia is not actually a rosemary at all. This wonderful Australian native belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is one of those remarkably tough plants that seems to thrive where others struggle.
Better still, it isn't just tough. Westringia is a beautiful garden performer, with soft grey-green foliage, delicate flowers and a naturally dense habit that makes it useful for everything from wildlife gardens to formal hedges and topiary.
Why We Love Westringia - The Perfect Australian Garden All-Rounder
There are around 30 species, cultivars and hybrids of Westringia, so there is a variety to suit almost every garden.
Whether you need a low-growing groundcover, a neat garden border, a dense hedge or a taller screen, Westringia has you covered.
Depending on the variety, flowers can range from white to mauve, pink and lilac, and flowering can continue through much of the year.
And while its delicate flowers may look dainty, don't underestimate this plant.
Westringia is remarkably resilient and can handle:
- Full sun
- Light shade
- Drought
- Heat
- Strong winds
- Coastal conditions
- Salt spray
- Moderate frost
Once established, it is a low-water, low-maintenance choice that is perfectly suited to many Australian gardens.
A Native Plant That Gives Back -
from Blue Wrens to native Bees
One of the best reasons to plant Westringia is what it can do for your local wildlife.
Its dense foliage creates excellent shelter for small birds, providing a safe place to hide from larger birds and predators. Compact varieties can create particularly valuable habitat for tiny garden visitors such as blue wrens.
The flowers also attract bees and butterflies, helping turn your garden into a more wildlife-friendly space.
At Everyday Potted Plants our wonderful Fairy Wrens and Spendid Wrens nest in the Westringa bushes we have in the Nursery. The dense foliage protects them from the bigger birds and from the occasional snake.
So while you're enjoying the foliage and flowers, your garden's smallest residents
are enjoying it too.
Westringia for Hedges and Screens
Looking for a hardy native hedge? Westringia is an excellent choice.
Its naturally dense growth responds beautifully to pruning, allowing you to create anything from a relaxed, informal screen to a neat, formal hedge.
Naringa, for example, is a fast-growing, upright variety that can reach around 2–2.2 metres and is particularly well suited to screening and hedging. It is also tolerant of coastal conditions.
For a softer, more natural look, let your Westringia grow with its relaxed habit and enjoy the movement and texture it brings to the garden.
Get Creative with Topiary
WestriNgia isn't just for native gardens.
Because it responds so well to clipping, it can be shaped into balls, mounds, borders and other topiary forms, making it a fantastic choice for contemporary and formal gardens.
Its fine foliage gives clipped shapes a softer appearance than many traditional hedging plants, while its Australian heritage brings an extra layer of character.
Try a row of clipped Westringia balls along a pathway, or use a formal hedge to frame a more relaxed native planting.
There Really Is a Westringia for Every Garden -
With so many varieties available, choosing the right one comes down to knowing what you want the plant to do.
Blue Gem
Beautiful blue-purple flowers make this a great choice for garden edging, retaining walls and smaller plantings.
Grey Box
Compact, drought tolerant and covered in white flowers, Grey Box is ideal for formal borders and box-style hedging.
Low Horizon
A low-growing variety reaching around 30cm, making it perfect for garden beds, borders and filling sparse areas.
Mundi
A spreading, low-growing form reaching around 1.5 metres wide. Its white flowers are particularly attractive to bees and butterflies.
Naringa
One of the taller options, growing to around 2–2.2 metres. A great choice for screens and hedges, particularly in coastal locations.
Aussie Box
neat, versatile selection with mauve flowers that suits both formal gardens and low-maintenance landscapes.
From compact groundcovers to tall screening plants, there is a Westringia to suit almost every garden space.
How to Grow Westringia
The good news? Westringia is wonderfully easy to grow.
Choose a Sunny Spot
Westringia performs best in full sun, although it will tolerate light shade.
Give It Good Drainage
Well-drained soil is important. Westringia doesn't enjoy constantly wet roots, so avoid areas that remain waterlogged.
Water While Establishing
New plants appreciate regular watering while their roots establish. Once established, Westringia is highly drought tolerant and requires considerably less water.
Prune for Shape
A light prune after flowering will help maintain a dense, attractive shape and encourage fresh growth.
If you're creating a formal hedge or topiary, regular light trimming will generally give the best results.
Keep Feeding Simple
Westringia isn't a heavy feeder. If needed, a small amount of balanced, slow-release fertiliser in spring is usually all it requires.
Give Westringia a Place in Your Garden
If you're planning a new garden, replacing an old hedge or simply looking for a tough native plant that will earn its keep, don't overlook Westringia.
It brings structure, flowers, wildlife habitat and year-round interest — without demanding constant attention.
Hardy enough for tough Australian conditions. Beautiful enough for formal gardens. Useful enough for wildlife.
That's the wonderful thing about Westringia.
It simply works.