Dwarf Woolly Bush

Dwarf Woolly Bush (Adenanthos sericeus)

Soft, silvery and endlessly touchable, the Dwarf Woolly Bush brings a unique texture to the garden that few other natives can match. Its fine, feathery grey-green foliage forms a dense, rounded mound, feeling almost like velvet underhand — a lovely contrast planted alongside bolder-leafed natives. Come spring, it's flecked with small red flowers that draw in bees and nectar-feeding birds, adding a subtle pop of colour without ever overwhelming its soft, silvery form.

Compact and beautifully behaved, this dwarf form is perfectly scaled for courtyards, pots, borders and coastal gardens where its salt and wind tolerance really shines. Easy-care, drought-resistant and frost-hardy once established, it's an effortless way to add texture, movement and year-round interest to a low-maintenance native garden.

Planting Requirements

Position: Full sun for best foliage colour and density; well-suited to open, exposed positions.

Soil: Adaptable to sandy, loamy or poor soils across acid, neutral and alkaline pH; must be well-drained.

Watering: Water to establish, then minimal — drought resistant once settled in.

Climate: Tolerates light frost and coastal exposure, including salt and wind; suits temperate and coastal climates.

Height & width: Compact, reaching approximately 0.7–1 metre high and wide.

Spacing: Allow around 0.7–1 metre between plants.

Planting depth: Plant at the same soil level as the container.

Fertilising: Minimal feeding required; tolerates poor soils well.

Pruning: Light tip pruning after flowering helps maintain a dense, rounded shape.