Most popular small shrubs and groundcovers of 2024-25

By Daniel Fuller

Understanding industry trends can inform nursery purchasing decisions. Ozbreed’s data for the 2024-25 reflects plants that have been selling extremely well, and we foresee that sales are likely to stay strong in the coming financial year. Here are our strongest Australian small shrub and groundcover sellers by quantity of units starting with the most popular.

Westringia fruticosa ‘WES04’ PBR Trade Name Grey Box™: This Australian buxus alternative is as close to bulletproof that you could make a westringia without making it out of plastic. It’s used in bioswales around the country rife with Phytophthora root rot.

Westringia fruticosa ‘WES05’ PBR Trade Name Mundi™: Another coastal rosemary capable of tolerating wet and dry bioswale conditions, this time with a more prostrate habit. Westringia spp. are not commonly known for their wet feet tolerance, making these two cultivars highly unusual.

Myoporum parvifolium ‘PARV01’ PBR Trade Name Yareena™: This groundcover is used on roadsides and manicured landscapes alike. It is dependable with minimal effort and has tougher stems that tend to defoliate less than common forms.

Westringia fruticosa ‘WES06’ PBR Trade Name Low Horizon™: This prostrate westringia does well in drought, but it cannot tolerate wet feet like Mundi™ Westringia. With shorter internodes and a flatter habit, it requires barely any pruning (if any), and most people would say it is more ornamental than Mundi™ Westringia.

Callistemon viminalis ‘LJ1’ PBR Trade Name Better John™: Another bioswale and roadside plant, this bottlebrush is an improved sport of ‘Little John’ and ‘Captain Cook’ that shows resistance to Phytophthora root rot and myrtle rust diseases.

Honourable mentions

The following two plants are relatively new to the market; however they are showing promise and have only narrowly missed out on making this list. They are worth looking at moving forward.

• Eremophila glabra prostrate ‘EREM1’ PBR Trade Name Blue Horizon™
• Rhagodia spinescens ‘SAB01’ PBR Trade Name Aussie Flat Bush™

Focusing on the most popular cultivars can be a safe bet because there is always going to be demand, but do not let that stop you finding something less mainstream that appeals to your own clientele. Browse the Ozbreed website for more information on all these plants, as well as our established catalogue and new plants.

All images supplied by Ozbreed.