Australian Plants for Foliage Contrast

Are you looking for native Australian plants that provide year-round interest with interesting foliage colours? Whether you’re looking for an Aussie plant that blends in with your current colour scheme, or one that stands out with bold contrast, you’ve come to the right place.

This article will provide you with a solid palette of native plants with colourful foliage.

White Mundi™

Westringia fruticosa ‘WES09’ PBR Trade Name White Mundi™

White Mundi™ Westringia is a resilient ground cover that calms the mind with cream and grey-green variegated foliage. Its appeal is further enhanced by abundant white flowers that bloom in spring. This tough plant grows to 40cm in height and spreads up to 1m, making it perfect for borders or cascading over rocks.

White Mundi™ Westringia thrives in full sun to part shade, handles coastal winds with ease, and tolerates a wide range of soil types, as well as moderate to heavy frost.

Goldie Box™

Westringia fruticosa ‘WES11’ PBR Trade Name Goldie Box™

Goldie Box™ Westringia is a vibrant shrub with striking golden-variegated foliage highlighted by soft grey-green tones. This beauty produces white flowers in spring, with occasional blossoms in autumn, adding a touch of elegance and seasonal pollinator support.

It grows to about 45cm in height and width, making it well-suited for low hedges, topiary, or use as a feature plant. Thriving in full sun to light shade, it can withstand a wide range of conditions, including drought, frost, coastal winds, and poor drainage.

Aussie Reflection™

Chrysocephalum ‘CAP07’ PBR Intended Trade Name Aussie Reflection™

Aussie Reflection™ Chrysocephalum is a robust native ground cover that adds charm with its vibrant yellow flowers and lush blue-grey foliage. This plant grows up to 20cm high in foliage, with flower stems reaching 35cm, and spreads over 0.5m.

It flourishes in full sun to light shade and is highly resilient with hardy rhizomes, tolerating drought, frost, and occasional flooding. Best planted in well-drained soil, it should avoid sites with prolonged wet conditions.

Blue Horizon™

Eremophila glabra prostrate ‘EREM1’ PBR Trade Name Blue Horizon™

Blue Horizon™ Eremophila is a dense, low-growing ground cover featuring tidy blue-grey foliage paired with yellow flowers that bloom in winter. Compact and neat, it reaches 25cm in height and spreads up to 1m, forming a stunning mat-like display.

This variety thrives in full sun or light shade, preferring free-draining soil, though it can cope with heavier soils in drier climates. Drought-tolerant once established, Blue Horizon™ emu bush is ideal for mass plantings or as a bold border in the garden.

Grey Box™

Westringia fruticosa ‘WES04’ PBR Trade Name Grey Box™

Grey Box™ Westringia is a stylish compact shrub that offers a striking contrast to green plants with its soft grey foliage. Enhanced by a profusion of white flowers from September to May, it’s perfect for low hedges or as an unpruned natural ball shape.

This plant reaches 30–45cm in height and width when left unpruned, or a neat 30cm high and wide with regular pruning (sometimes growing larger in highly fertile soils).

Grey Box™ Westringia thrives in full sun to light shade, adapts to most soil types, and shows excellent drought and frost tolerance, making it a reliable choice for any setting.

Red Alert™

Callistemon viminalis ‘KPS38’ PBR Trade Name Red Alert™

Red Alert™ Callistemon is a vibrant, compact bottlebrush that stands out with its bright red new growth, appearing during autumn and spring.

This hardy shrub grows to a height of 2–2.4m and a width of 1.5–2m when left unpruned, or can be kept tidy at 50cm–2m high and 40cm–1.5m wide with shaping. Thriving in full sun to part shade, it suits various soil types and is highly tolerant of drought and frost.

Aussie Flat Bush™

Rhagodia spinescens ‘SAB01’ PBR Trade Name Aussie Flat Bush™

Aussie Flat Bush™ Rhagodia is a hardy, low-growing saltbush perfect as a ground cover or for mass plantings. Its compact form features blue-toned foliage that adds a soft, contemporary touch to gardens and landscapes.

It grows to 30–50cm high and spreads up to 1m wide, ideal for roadside verges, slopes, or residential gardens. Thriving in full sun to light shade, Aussie Flat Bush™ Rhagodia is highly drought- and frost-tolerant and adapts easily to a variety of soil types, as well as enduring coastal salt with ease.

Aussie Hedge Bush™

Rhagodia spinescens ‘SAB02’ PBR Intended Trade Name Aussie Hedge Bush™

Aussie Hedge Bush™ Rhagodia is a robust and versatile mounding shrub with fine silvery blue-grey foliage. Its dense, rounded growth habit makes it perfect for screening, borders, windbreaks, or creative landscaping. Reaching 1–1.6m in height and width, it creates striking textures and contrasts in native garden designs.

This hardy shrub thrives in full sun to part shade and tolerates drought, frost, coastal winds, and moderate humidity. Aussie Hedge Bush™ Rhagodia suits most soil types, requiring minimal maintenance.

Blaze™

Dianella tasmanica ‘NPW2’ PBR Trade Name Blaze™

Blaze™ Dianella is a striking small strappy plant with deep purple foliage that remains vibrant for most of the year. Compact in size, it reaches 40cm in both height and width, making it ideal for feature plantings or mass coverage.

This heat-tolerant variety flourishes in full sun to heavy shade and is well-suited to sandy or clay soils, although it avoids very poor soils. Blaze™ tolerates heat, drought, and frost, though it might struggle in the humidity of Brisbane.

Cassa Blue®

Dianella caerulea ‘DBB03’ PBR Trade Name Cassa Blue®

Cassa Blue® Dianella is a compact and elegant clumping plant with rich blue foliage that adds a touch of serenity to any garden. During September to November, it produces masses of purple and yellow flowers, further enhancing its visual appeal.

It grows to 50cm in height and 40cm in width, making it perfect for both mass plantings and as a feature in maintained gardens. Thriving in full sun to partial shade, Cassa Blue® Dianella prefers well-drained soils and demonstrates impressive drought and cold tolerance.

Clarity Blue™

Dianella hybrid ‘DP401’ PBR Trade Name Clarity Blue™

Clarity Blue™ Dianella stands out with its clear blue foliage and tough clumping habit, creating a bold colour contrast in the garden. It grows to 55cm high and 45cm wide, forming a graceful, compact feature.

This hardy Dianella thrives in full sun to part shade, handling drought and frost with ease. Adaptable to sandy to clay loam soils, it can even cope with periodic wet feet, though prolonged wet conditions should be avoided. During summer, its showy flower stems provide additional interest.

Summer Rev™

Dianella spp ‘DIAN04’ PBR Intended Trade name Summer Rev™

Summer Rev™ Dianella is a stylish and compact flax plant with striking clean blue foliage complemented by blue flowers and purple berries. It grows to 50–60cm high and 40–50cm wide, making it perfect for borders, feature plantings, or mass/mixed displays.

Thriving in full sun to partial shade, it tolerates humidity, frost, heat, drought, and heavier soils.

Great White™

Lomandra longifolia ‘MURU’ PBR Trade Name Great White™

Great White™ Lomandra is a robust variegated plant, boasting dense, compact growth and larger-than-usual flowers. Its striking white and green striped foliage adds vibrant contrast to gardens or roadside plantings.

This Lomandra grows to 40–50cm in both height and width, making it ideal for use in massed displays or as a feature plant. Thriving in full sun to moderate shade, it tolerates drought, cold, and windy conditions. Great White™ Lomandra adapts well to sandy through to clay soils.

Lucky Stripe™

Lomandra hystrix ‘LMV200’ PBR Trade Name Lucky Stripe™

Lucky Stripe™ Lomandra features ultra-clean variegated foliage, and is another standout option for mass/mixed plantings or erosion control. This hardy Lomandra grows to 78–100cm in height and spreads up to 90cm wide.

Thriving in full sun to part shade, it can handle dry or wet conditions and adapts to sandy loam to heavy clay soils.

Variegated Tanika™

Lomandra longifolia ‘NPW3’ Trade Name Variegated Tanika™

Variegated Tanika™ Lomandra is a refined variegated version of the beloved Tanika® Lomandra, known for its fine leaves and long-lasting yellow flowers from April to October. This evergreen plant grows to 50–60cm in height and extends to 65cm wide, perfect for borders or mass/mixed plantings.

Thriving in full sun to moderate shade, it tolerates drought and frost, and adapts well to sandy through clay soils, though avoid prolonged wet feet. Its low-maintenance nature and vibrant foliage make it a standout addition to any landscape.

Savanna Blue™

Lomandra filiformis ‘LMF500’ Trade Name Savanna Blue™

Savanna Blue™ Lomandra is a compact ground cover with fine blue textured foliage that offers outstanding contrast in modern gardens. Growing to 30cm high and 30cm wide, this small Lomandra is perfect for borders or as a low-maintenance filler plant.

It thrives in full sun to part shade, withstanding drought and frost with ease. Savanna Blue™ Lomandra prefers free-draining soils, especially in humid areas.

Kingsdale™

Poa poiformis ‘PP500’ Trade Name Kingsdale™

Kingsdale™ Poa is a compact tussock grass with vivid blue arching foliage that adds softness and contrast to gardens and landscapes. Ideal for erosion control on slopes or as a border plant, it grows to 45cm high and 45cm wide.

Thriving in full sun to part shade, Kingsdale™ Poa tolerates both frost and drought. Adaptable to a wide variety of soils, it is particularly suited to exposed areas.

Eskdale Blue™

Poa spp. ‘POL12’ PBR Trade Name Eskdale Blue™

Eskdale Blue™ Poa is a standout tussock grass with elegant deep blue arching foliage. It grows to a compact 45cm high and 45cm wide, and is a perfect feature in ornamental landscapes or mass plantings.

Thriving in full sun to part shade, it handles drought and frost with ease, offering year-round resilience and minimal maintenance. Suitable for a wide range of soil types, Eskdale Blue™ Poa adds a touch of sophistication while requiring only annual pruning to retain its vibrant appearance.

Rustic™

Poa spp. ‘POL11’ PBR Trade Name Rustic™

Rustic™ Poa is a charming compact tussock grass, bred for its fine green foliage that transitions to a warm rustic brown with the changing seasons.

Unlike other poas, this variety displays much more coppery tones within a single year. At 45cm high and 45cm wide, it provides a tidy, manageable addition to any garden or landscape.

It thrives in full sun to part shade, tolerating drought and frost. Suitable for a variety of soils, Rustic™ Poa is ideal for mass plantings or as a contrasting companion plant, offering a natural aesthetic year-round. Simply chop and drop foliage with a brushcutter, hedge trimmer or mower in late winter to give it a new lease on life each year.

Pennstripe™

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘PAV300’ PBR Trade Name Pennstripe™

Pennstripe™ Pennisetum (syn. Cenchrus purpurascens) is a striking variegated native grass with fine foliage and beautiful feathery plumes. Compact in form, it grows to 45cm high and 45cm wide, working perfectly in mass/mixed plantings, borders, or specimen gardens.

This hardy grass flourishes in full sun to part shade, tolerating drought, frost, and humidity, and thriving in sandy through heavy clay soils.

Daniel’s Wrap

Whether you’re looking for interesting foliage colour from your native Australian plants because you’d like to create bold contrasting statements, or because you’re looking for harmony and cohesion, I hope that this palette of plants provides what you need.

From blues and greys to reds and purples, these plants are not just beautiful but also resilient in the difficult conditions presented by the modern Australian landscape. Specify them in your next design, or check out one of our recommended online retailers today!