Understanding the needs of grevillea and its companions is key to successful companion planting and allows you to create a garden that isvisually pleasing.
What to Plant with Westringia: Native Companion Planting Guide
Are you seeking ways to make your westringia plants stand out even more in your garden or landscape? Have you been pondering over which plants have similar needs and would thrive together in the same bed?
Perhaps, you’re also keen on providing a range of food and habitat resources for local wildlife that complement what westringia offers? If these questions resonate with you, then you’re in the right place.
This article will delve into the topic of native companion plants for westringia. By choosing the right companions for your westringia, you can create a more vibrant and ecologically balanced landscape where all of your plants are besties.
Understanding Westringia, the Coastal Rosemary, and Its Needs
Westringia, commonly known as Australian rosemary, is a popular plant choice in various settings—from home gardens to public parks—thanks to its robust nature and attractive, bushy growth habit. Its grey-green foliage and delicate white or blue flowers bring a touch of Australian charm to any planting scheme.
Their tight branching habit and excellent response to pruning makes them one of the go-to Aussie native hedge options.
Westringia has a set of specific needs that help it thrive. It prefers well-drained soil, preferring sandy or loamy soil. Some cultivars don’t mind heavier soils and some can even thrive in heavy flooding, such as Grey Box™ Westringia and Mundi™ Westringia.
You can learn more about the wet feet testing we’ve done on some of our most popular cultivars here. Westringias are generally a sun-loving plant that may be able to tolerate partial shade. When it comes to water, westringia is quite drought-tolerant once established but appreciates regular watering during dry periods.
Ecologically, westringia flowers are a food source for various insects, birds and other fauna, while its dense growth habit provides shelter for small birds and mammals. In addition, the tubular shape of westringia flowers makes it especially attractive to long-tongued bees, such as blue-banded bees and teady bear bees.
The growth habit of westringia is typically as an evergreen shrub which can reach up to 1.5 meters tall, making it an excellent choice for hedging or as a background plant in mixed beds. Its dense growth provides valuable habitat for fauna—offering shelter, nesting sites, and protection from predators.
Choosing the Right Companions
The right companion plants can provide beneficial shade, improve soil conditions, and even help deter pests from one another.
When choosing companion plants for westringia, consider factors such as shared needs and ecological benefits. For instance, plants with similar sunlight, water, and soil requirements will be more likely to thrive together. Additionally, certain plants may attract beneficial insects that can help protect your westringia from pests.
Scaevola spp.: Ground-Covering Companions
Scaevola spp., or fan flowers, are ground-covering plants that can complement westringia well. Their sprawling habit helps improve soil health by retaining moisture and preventing weed growth, providing a living alternative to traditional mulches.
The white or purple-blue flowers of Scaevola spp. can create a stunning contrast or compliment with the white or blue flowers of westringia. Ecologically, Scaevola spp. are valuable for local pollinators and provide ground-level habitat for various fauna.
Grevillea spp.: Vibrant and Hardy Companions
Grevillea spp., also known as spider flowers, are an excellent choice for companion planting with westringia. They share similar needs in terms of sunlight and soil type, making them compatible companions.
Pairing Grevillea spp. with westringia can create an aesthetically appealing contrast between the delicate purple, blue or white flowers of westringia and the showy white, pink, purple, red, orange or yellow grevillias.
Ecologically, Grevillea spp. attract a variety of pollinators, including insects, mammals and birds, and provide valuable habitat for wildlife.
While westringia can take regular fertilisers, it’s important to remember that Grevillea spp. (being part of the Proteaceae family) prefer a low-phosphorus, native plant fertiliser.
Eucalypts: Towering Companions
The Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Angophora genera are towering companions that offer an aesthetic contrast to the bushy growth of westringia. These trees come in a range of sizes and can provide a backdrop that makes your westringia stand out.
These trees play a significant role in local ecology. They provide valuable habitat for wildlife, including nesting sites for birds and hollows for mammals. Their flowers are a rich nectar source for a variety of pollinators.
Acacia spp.: Nitrogen-Fixing Companions
Acacia spp., commonly known as wattles, are another excellent choice for companion planting with westringia. As nitrogen-fixing plants, they can enhance soil fertility, benefiting westringia and other plants in your garden.
Acacia spp. play important ecological roles. They provide food and habitat for a variety of wildlife and attract fauna with their bright yellow flowers and their seeds, which are related to legumes.
While they’re relatively short-lived, Acacia spp. grow quickly and can add a burst of colour to your garden.
Eremophila spp.: Varied Companions
Eremophila spp., also known as emu bushes, are a diverse group of plants that can be excellent companions for westringia. They come in a variety of growth habits, from ground covers to shrubs and trees, and their foliage colour ranges from blue-grey to green.
With flowers in almost every colour, they can add a diverse range of hues to your garden. Eremophila spp. provide food and habitat for a variety of wildlife and attract numerous pollinators with their delicate flowers. Choosing a variety with grey-blue foliage tones rhyme with your westringias.
Lomandra spp.: Clumping Strappy Companions
Lomandra spp., commonly referred to as mat rush, make an excellent companion for westringia. With their clumping, strappy leaves and hardy nature, they can coexist harmoniously with westringia, sharing similar sunlight, soil, and watering needs.
Unlike westringia, which is typically pollinated by charismatic pollinators like bees and birds, lomandra is predominantly pollinated by lesser-loved but just as important beetles.
This difference in pollination strategies can increase the diversity of beneficial insects in your garden. On top of this, the seeds of lomandra are a food source for our native ants, providing nourishment for creatures that might not be directly supported by westringia.
In terms of growth habits, lomandra’s strappy leaves create a textural contrast with the bushy form of westringia, making them visually complementary. Smaller lomandras can be used effectively to underplant westringia, providing interest at lower levels and creating a layered effect in the garden design.
Lomandra provides habitat for a variety of insects and small animals, especially when they’re densely planted with a thicket of strappy leaves and spiky flower stalks.
Dianella spp.: Blue Flowering and Fruiting Companions
Dianella spp., often known as flax lilies, are another excellent choice for companion planting with westringia. These plants share similar cultural requirements with westringia and their blue flowers and fruits bring a unique aesthetic appeal to a native garden.
Blue flowers and fruits are relatively rare in the landscape, which both dianellas and westringias share in common. And if your westringia has white flowers, they’ll contrast beautifully with the striking blue flowers and berries of dianella.
In terms of how these companions work together aesthetically, dianella’s upright growth habit contrasts nicely with the bushy form of westringia, creating visual interest and depth in the garden. Both plants are also highly drought-tolerant, making them a perfect pair for low-water gardens or landscapes.
Ecologically, dianella provides significant benefits. Its flowers are a magnet for buzz pollinators like blue-banded bees, which vibrate their bodies at a specific frequency to release pollen—a process known as buzz pollination.
Tips for Successful Companion Planting with Westringia
Choosing, planting, and caring for westringia and its companions require a bit of know-how, but the rewards are well worth it. Here are some practical tips to help you succeed:
- Choosing Companions: Look for plants that share similar needs with westringia in terms of sunlight, water, and soil conditions. Consider the growth habits and ecological roles of potential companions, as these factors can greatly enhance the health and aesthetic appeal of your garden.
- Planting: When planting westringia and its companions, be sure to give each plant enough space to grow and spread. Overcrowding can lead to competition for resources and increase the risk of disease.
- Caring for Your Plants: Regular watering, especially during dry periods, can help your plants thrive. However, avoid overwatering as this can cause root rot. A layer of chunky mulch can help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
If you notice yellowing leaves or stunted growth, don’t panic. These issues could be signs of too much or too little water, lack of sunlight, nutrient deficiencies, pests, or disease. Investigate the cause and take appropriate action, such as adjusting your watering schedule, adding compost to the soil, or treating for pests.
Remember, companion planting is not an exact science. Feel free to experiment with different combinations and observe the results in your own gardens or landscaping projects.
Any plant combination can be an example of companion planting – they don’t have to be listed together in some “companion planting guide.” The secret is knowing which plants complement each other, and which combinations to avoid.
Feel free to try plant communities that haven’t been sanctioned by some thought leader on the internet.
Daniel’s Wrap
Don’t overcomplicate companion planting. It’s just about putting plants in together which work well together and bring each other benefits. Apply the knowledge you’ve gained from this article, start experimenting, and watch as your garden comes alive with a new sense of dynamism and diversity.
The native Australian companion plants discussed in this article are just a few examples of what’s possible. Grevillea spp., Eucalyptus, Acacia spp., Scaevola spp., Eremophila spp., Lomandra spp., and Dianella spp. all have unique characteristics that make them excellent companions for westringia.
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