Westringia fruticosa Smokey

Common Name:
Smokey Coast Rosemary

Description:
Westringia fruticosa 'Smokey', commonly known as Smokey Coast Rosemary, is an evergreen shrub native to Australia. It features tightly crowded, linear leaves with cream-colored variegation along the margins, giving the plant a silvery appearance from a distance. Delicate white flowers, sometimes tinged with pale purple, bloom primarily in spring, with sporadic flowering throughout the year. This versatile shrub can reach 1.2 to 1.8 meters in height and width, forming a compact, upright mound. It thrives in full sun to light shade and prefers well-drained soils. 'Smokey' is both drought and salt-tolerant, making it ideal for coastal gardens and well-suited to Melbourne's climate. It can be left to grow naturally for a relaxed appearance or pruned to create formal hedges. Regular watering during establishment and occasional pruning after flowering will maintain its shape and promote healthy growth.

Form:

• Shrub – Medium

Mature Size:

• Height: 1.2–1.8 meters
• Width: 1.2–1.8 meters

Aspect:

• Full Sun
• Part Shade

Flowering:

• Flowers in Spring
• Intermittent Blooms Year-Round

Flower Colour:

• White (occasionally with a pale purple tinge)

Key Attributes:

• Drought Tolerant
• Salt Tolerant
• Low Maintenance
• Suitable for Hedging
• Attracts Bees and Butterflies

Toxicity:

• No known toxicity to humans or animals.

Companion Plants:

• Lavandula spp. (Lavender)
• Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)
• Correa alba (White Correa)
• Dianella spp. (Flax Lily)
• Grevillea lanigera (Woolly Grevillea)