All westringias are not the same. If you’ve tried Westringia hybrid ‘Wynyabbie Gem’ but want to explore other options, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re looking for a taller hedge, a show-stopping flower display, a ground cover, or something that can tolerate flooding, there are a number of reliable alternatives you can consider.
Below, we’ll guide you through six popular alternatives and help you find the perfect match for your landscaping needs.
Westringia hybrid ‘Wynyabbie Gem’. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/plant-westringia-wynyabbie-gem-longifolia-flowers-1913177419
Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Gem’: General Description
Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Gem’ is a hybrid evergreen shrub resulting from a cross between Westringia fruticosa (coastal) and Westringia eremicola (inland). It is native to Australia and is widely appreciated for its good resilience and aesthetic appeal.
Key Features
- Foliage: Dense, bushy, and evergreen with small, pointed, olive-green to silver-green leaves. The foliage resembles rosemary but is not edible or fragrant.
- Flowers: Lavender to violet, star-shaped flowers bloom year-round, adding consistent colour to gardens.
- Size: Typically grows 1.8-2.5m tall and 1.2-1.8m wide, forming a rounded, compact shape. (Sizes vary depending on source)
- Tolerances: Loves free-draining, elevated positions where water does not pool. Struggles in periodic and constant wet.
Growing Conditions
- Light: Prefers full sun to partial shade.
- Soil: Well-draining sandy or loamy soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0 is ideal.
- Watering: Drought-tolerant once established. Requires regular watering during establishment, then infrequent deep watering. Benefits from supplemental watering in arid climates. Avoid boggy conditions and wet feet.
- Climate: Tolerates coastal conditions, including wind and salt spray, as well as inland dry heat.
Care and Maintenance
- Pruning: Minimal pruning is recommended. Light trimming after flowering encourages bushier growth, but frequent shearing may reduce its lifespan (some reports say it lives just 8-10 years with regular shearing). (https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1606)
- Fertilising: Apply a balanced fertiliser twice a year for optimal growth. Don’t worry about native fertilisers – they’re more for Proteaceae family members.
- Pests and Diseases: Generally pest-resistant but may occasionally attract spider mites, aphids, mealybugs and other sap-suckers. Overwatering and wet feet can lead to root rot.
Uses in Landscaping
- Hedges and Borders: Its dense growth makes it ideal for privacy screens or formal hedges.
- Specimen Planting: Can be used as a standalone feature in gardens.
- Wildlife Attraction: Flowers attract pollinators like native bees, hoverflies and butterflies, enhancing biodiversity and pest resilience.
Westringia hybrid ‘Wynyabbie Gem’. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/plant-westringia-longifolia-wynyabbie-gem-outdoors-1919167148
Potential Issues
- Overwatering: Can lead to root rot; ensure soil is well-draining. Very few westringias can tolerate wet feet, but Grey Box™ and Mundi™ westringias are exceptions able to tolerate boggy conditions.
- Underwatering: Overwatering is a much more common issue than underwatering, however still be mindful that if it’s in a hot position with lots of sun and no water for an extended period it’ll start to die back a bit.
- Sunlight: Like most westringias, ‘Wynnabie Gem’ loves full sun to part sun; preferably in a north or west-facing position.
- Pruning Stress: Like many westringias, excessive pruning can stunt growth and reduce lifespan.
- Pests: Monitor for signs of spider mites, aphids, or mealybugs. Particularly when the plant is unhappy.
Best Alternative Westringias
Without further ado, let’s explore some other excellent specimens. Each of them offer something unique; whether it’s screening, borders, climatic tolerances, ground cover or a feature, you’re sure to find something to suit your needs here.
Naringa™ Westringia hybrid ‘WES01’ PBR
Best for: Medium to tall hedging
If you need a hedge that establishes quickly, requires minimal upkeep, and stays naturally tidy, Naringa™ Westringia is an excellent choice. Its compact growth and masses of mauve flowers during spring (and sporadically at other times) make it equal parts functional and decorative. With pruning required only 1-3 times per year, Naringa™ Westringia lets you achieve that formal look without constant effort. Up to 2.2 metres unpruned, it is ideal for medium to tall screens that provide privacy and structure.
Why choose this alternative?
Naringa™ Westringia is a faster-growing and more hedging-focused option, with a more upright (fastigiate) and tidy growth habit than Wynyabbie Gem.
2. Blue Gem™ Westringia hybrid ‘WES03’ PBR
Best for: Add a vibrant pop of colour
For those seeking a Westringia with a more vibrant floral display, Blue Gem™ Westringia is a standout. The vivid bluish-purple flowers are the most striking among all Westringia varieties (in our opinion), blooming profusely in spring and sporadically throughout the rest of the year. This bushy shrub grows to 1-1.5 metres high and requires moderate pruning to maintain its neat shape. It’s perfect for native or flower gardens and creates a stunning effect as a feature plant or in mixed plantings.
Why choose this alternative?
If you prioritise colourful blooms over other qualities, Blue Gem™ Westringia offers an unmatched visual impact.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/blue-gem-westringia-is-a-native-shrub-with-vivid-bluish-purple-flowers-native-shrubs-ground-covers/
3. Ozbreed Aussie Box® Westringia hybrid ‘WES08’ PBR
Best for: Formal, compact hedges
Looking for a native alternative to traditional English box hedges? Ozbreed Aussie Box® Westringia ticks all the boxes (except wet feet). With its dense growth, mauve flowers, and ability to form tidy, low-maintenance hedges, this cultivar is perfect for formal gardens. Pruned, it grows 40-60 centimetres high, but it can reach up to 95 centimetres if left unpruned. It has compact habit and requires less water than exotic box plants, making it a drought-tolerant choice for structured landscaping.
Why choose this alternative?
Aussie Box® Westringia delivers a structured, formal look similar to classic box hedging while being more waterwise and fuss-free.
4. Grey Box™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES04’ PBR
Best for: Contrasting foliage and compact hedging with wet and/or dry feet
With its striking grey-coloured foliage and compact growth (30-45 centimetres high, growing larger in fertile soils), Grey Box™ Westringia offers a decorative edge. It’s excellent as a neat, drought-tolerant hedge or a natural-shaped border plant. White flowers from September to May enhance its aesthetic appeal, but the soft silver-grey tones of its leaves are the real showstopper. If you’re after a reliable, smaller-scale alternative with a decorative edge, this cultivar deserves serious consideration.
Why choose this alternative?
Grey Box™ Westringia brings a touch of contrast to your garden with its grey foliage, while maintaining the practicality of drought tolerance and compact size.
5. Mundi™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES05’ PBR
Best for: Ground cover with a spreading, lush habit in wet and/or dry feet
For areas where you need a tough yet beautiful ground cover, Mundi™ Westringia excels. Unlike the taller Wynyabbie Gem, this cultivar grows to only 40-50 centimetres in height but spreads up to 1.5 metres across, producing a dense mat of bluish-green foliage and masses of white flowers through most of the year. Its high-performing, low-maintenance nature makes it ideal for exposed locations such as roadsides or gardens relying on natural rainfall with poor drainage.
Why choose this alternative?
Go for Mundi™ Westringia if you’re after a spreading, flowering ground cover that thrives with minimal care.
6. Low Horizon™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES06’ PBR
Best for: Ultra-compact, low-maintenance ground covers
As pretty as the previous ground-covering option is, this variety is even prettier. For the ultimate in attractive compactness, Low Horizon™ Westringia stands out as the flattest, densest Westringia. Growing to just 30 centimetres high, it spreads neatly to a width of 70 centimetres, providing a sleek ground cover option. Its ultra-compact form with shorter internodes and denser foliage requires very little maintenance, making it perfect for public landscapes and smaller spaces. Low Horizon™ Westringia also handles frost, humidity, and drought with ease, ensuring it remains robust in a variety of climates as long as it avoids wet feet.
Why choose this alternative?
If you need a hardy attractive ground cover with a streamlined profile and almost no maintenance requirements, Low Horizon™ Westringia is unbeatable.
Choosing the Right Alternative to Wynyabbie Gem
Each of these Westringia cultivars has unique strengths and is suited to specific landscaping needs:
- For hedging: Opt for Naringa™, Ozbreed Aussie Box®, or Grey Box™ westringias, depending on the desired height and aesthetic.
- For vibrant colour: Blue Gem™ Westringia adds dramatic visual appeal to any planting scheme.
- For ground cover: Mundi™ Westringia is a little taller but tougher in wet, while Low Horizon™ Westringia is a bit smaller and prettier.
- For periodic flooding: Mundi and Grey Box westringias can tolerate both flooding and drought; they can even thrive in constant boggy conditions rife with Phytophthora and other root rot diseases.
By considering factors like height, aesthetic display, tolerances and required maintenance, you can confidently select the perfect Westringia to complement or replace ‘Wynyabbie Gem’ in your your next landscape design. Go on, try something different!