Browse plants / Asteraceae
Cushion bush Leucophyta brownii
Previously known as Calocephalus brownii
When it flowers
- January, flowering
- February, flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Silver, wiry shrub that forms a tight ball, very tough in salt wind.
A rounded mound of fine, silvery-white stems that thrives on exposed coasts. Small, button-like pale yellow flowers appear in summer. Popular for contrast in coastal and dry gardens.
In the garden
- Attracts
- Shelter for small wildlife
- Flowers
- Small, round, pale yellow button flowers.
- Leaves
- Tiny, scale-like leaves on wiry, silvery-white stems.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy and loam
- Soil pH
- Neutral and alkaline
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
- Coast
- Exposed to salt spray
- Climate
- Dry summers (Mediterranean) and temperate
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Cuttings
Planting
Full sun in sandy, well-drained soil. Space 70 cm apart.
Pruning
Trim lightly after flowering to keep a neat ball.
Care
Avoid overwatering and humid, still spots; it rots in wet soil.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Order
- Asterales
- Native to
- South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia
- Natural range
- Coastal dunes and cliffs of southern Australia.
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Leucophyta brownii on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.