WESTRINGIA. Softly colored and finely textured, these Australian shrubs are beautiful companion plants for some of our own dryland natives. They are moderate in growth, the following generally under 4' high with greater spread. Their stems are richly clad with soft, narrow leaves. The irregular two-lipped flowers can also be quite decorative. The following are from the U.C Santa Cruz Arboretum. Sun, reasonably well drained soil, little watering when established. Hardy to 20oF or less.
fruticosa (W. rosmariniformis). This is the one westringia well-known in California—though not necessarily under its new name. It is a dense, spreading shrub, up to 5' high and 8-10' broad. The twigs are crowded with narrow, pointed leaves, silvery on both surfaces in the most popular form. It blooms most heavily in spring but has at least a sprinkling of its small white flowers much of the year. Two interesting, more recent selections are ‘Wynyabbie Gem’, with pale lavender flowers, and ‘Morning Light’, a smaller plant with cream-margined leaves.
glabra. This is the showiest of the species I have seen. Both stems and foliage are dark green, with a satiny sheen. The plant is decorated for several weeks each spring and fall by small lavender blossoms, borne in small clusters along the stems.