Dampiera spp.
dampiera
Overview
Dampiera spp. is a genus of about 66 perennials and small subshrubs in the family Goodeniaceae, almost all native to Australia and most numerous in the southwest. Plants are low and often suckering, 6–24 inches (15–60 cm) tall, spreading by underground runners into loose patches with wiry, sometimes winged stems. Leaves are small and simple, often grey-green or covered in soft hairs, set sparsely along the stems. The flowers are the main feature: five-lobed, fan-shaped blooms like those of the related Scaevola spp., mostly in strong blue and purple but ranging to mauve and white, carried over a long spring-to-summer season. D. diversifolia is a widely grown trailing groundcover form. The genus suits dry, sunny gardens and sandy soils, tolerating drought once established, but most species are frost-tender and resent heavy, wet ground. Plants can be short-lived and are often renewed from cuttings or division of the suckering rootstock.
Native Range
Dampiera spp. is native to Australia, with the great majority of species found in the southwest of Western Australia and others scattered across the continent. It grows in heath, woodland, and sandy or rocky open ground, often in seasonally dry sites.Suggested Uses
Dampiera spp. is grown in rockeries, dry sunny banks, containers, and native or water-wise gardens for its blue fan-shaped flowers. Trailing forms are used to spill over walls and pot edges, spaced 12–18 inches (30–45 cm) apart. It pairs with other dry-climate Australian plants in low-water schemes.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 2'
Width/Spread1' - 3'
Bloom Information
Dampiera spp. flowers over a long season from spring into summer, roughly September to January in its native Australia, and through much of the year in mild climates. The blue to purple fan-shaped flowers open in flushes along the stems. Bloom is heaviest in full sun after a wet winter.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
blue, purple, mauve, or whiteFoliage Description
grey-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Dampiera spp. grows in full sun to light shade and sharp-draining sandy or gravelly soil at a pH of 5.5–7.0. Established plants tolerate drought and need little summer water, as wet, heavy soil leads to root rot. Most species are frost-tender, taking only light frost down to about 28°F (−2°C). Feeding is light, with low-phosphorus fertilizers suiting this Australian genus. The suckering roots spread the plant slowly, and it is contained by edging or grown as a groundcover where its spread is welcome. Propagation is by cuttings or by division of the rooted suckers, as seed can be slow and erratic.Pruning
Dampiera spp. is trimmed lightly after the main flush to keep a compact shape and prompt fresh flowering stems. Cutting back leggy or frost-damaged growth in spring renews tired plants. Removing spent flowering stems tidies the low mat.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons