Browse plants / Asteraceae
Coast daisy-bush Olearia axillaris
When it flowers
- January, flowering
- February, flowering
- March, flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, flowering
Silvery coastal shrub that clips into a hedge and handles salt spray.
A tough shrub from coastal dunes across southern Australia, with narrow, aromatic, silvery-grey leaves. Small cream flowers in summer are less showy than the foliage. Compact forms such as 'Little Smokie' are popular for hedging.
In the garden
- Flowers
- Small cream to pale yellow flowers.
- Leaves
- Narrow, aromatic, silvery-grey leaves.
- Attracts
- Pollinating insects and shelter for small wildlife
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, from frontline dunes inland. Space 1 m apart for a hedge.
Pruning
Clip two or three times a year for a formal hedge.
Care
No feeding needed. Avoid overwatering.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Order
- Asterales
- Native to
- New South Wales, 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.
Help improve this page
Spotted a mistake, or know something we don't? Everything is checked by a moderator before it goes live.
Further reading
- Olearia axillaris 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.