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Westringia eremicola

slender westringia

Lamiaceae eastern and inland Australia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Westringia eremicola is an evergreen shrub in the family Lamiaceae, growing 3–6 feet (0.9–1.8 m) tall and 3–5 feet (0.9–1.5 m) wide, with a slender, open habit. The narrow leaves are 0.3–0.8 inch (8–20 mm) long, grey-green above and paler beneath, and arranged in whorls of three to four along the stems. Flowers are white to pale mauve with small orange to brown spots in the throat, two-lipped, about 0.4 inch (10 mm) long, and appear over much of the year with a peak in spring. The shrub is native to inland and eastern Australia, where it grows in dry sclerophyll forest and rocky woodland. It tolerates drought, wind, and poor soils once established and is hardy to moderate frost. Compared with the denser coastal Westringia fruticosa, this species has a more open, airy form and narrower leaves. Without trimming it can become sparse and woody at the base over time. It grows on a wide range of well-drained soils.

Native Range

Westringia eremicola is native to eastern and inland Australia, occurring in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest, rocky woodland, and on ridges, usually on well-drained soils.

Suggested Uses

Planted as a low hedge, screen, and filler in native, coastal, and low-water gardens. Grown as a rounded specimen shrub or clipped into formal shapes. Used in roadside and revegetation plantings on dry, well-drained sites.

How to Identify

Identify Westringia eremicola by its narrow grey-green leaves arranged in whorls of three to four along slender stems. The white to pale mauve two-lipped flowers have small orange to brown spots in the throat and measure about 0.4 inch (10 mm) long. Its open, airy habit and narrow leaves separate it from the denser, broader-leaved Westringia fruticosa.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 6'

Width/Spread3' - 5'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering occurs over much of the year, with the heaviest flush in spring, roughly September to November in the native range. The flowers are white to pale mauve with orange to brown markings in the throat. Light flowering continues through other seasons in mild conditions.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to pale mauve

Foliage Description

grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-9 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Westringia eremicola in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil of low to moderate fertility. It tolerates drought, wind, coastal exposure, and moderate frost once established. Water young plants through their first dry season, after which it needs little extra water. A trim after the main flush keeps the shrub dense and slows the open, woody growth that develops with age. It grows in soils from sandy to clay loam as long as drainage is sharp. Soil pH from 5.5 to 7.5 suits it.

Pruning

Trim Westringia eremicola after the main spring flush, and lightly again through the year, to keep it dense and compact. It tolerates regular clipping and is shaped into low hedges and rounded forms. Cutting back into older wood is done cautiously, as bare wood reshoots slowly.

Pruning Schedule

late springsummer