Willow Myrtle Agonis flexuosa

Not a willow, and not related to one. Agonis flexuosa is a Western Australian myrtle from the coastal limestone country of the south west, and the weeping habit is entirely its own. Mature trees carry a dense rounded crown of narrow drooping leaves on arching branches, over fibrous grey brown bark that furrows with age. Crush a leaf and you get a strong peppermint smell, which is where the other common name, WA peppermint, comes from. It works as a coastal street tree, a shade tree and a clipped screen.

Sand, salt and the cold that catches it out

Full sun to part shade both suit it, it runs on low to moderate water once established, and growth is moderate. This is a genuine coastal performer, salt tolerant and happy in sand and alkaline ground, which is why it lines so many streets in Perth and along the South Australian coast. Free draining soil is the main requirement. The failure mode is cold. Young plants are damaged by frost, and in cold inland districts a winter of repeated frosts kills the growing tips, sets the plant back every year and eventually finishes it, so this is a coastal and mild climate tree rather than a tablelands one. Plant in spring if your winters are hard, and give it a warm wall or overhead cover early on. Three trade offs are worth naming: leaf litter falls steadily all year, the roots run shallow and can lift a thin path, and the branches are brittle in a gale, so keep it clear of a driveway you park under. None of that shows up in the first few years, which is exactly why it keeps being planted too close to the house.

Full sized tree, dwarf mound, or something for damp ground

The most expensive mistake buyers make with this species is grabbing the wrong form. Agonis flexuosa nana is the dwarf mounded shrub with the same scent and foliage and none of the eventual size, and it is what most small courtyards actually need. This listing is the tree: a canopy for shade, a trunk with character, and enough spread to matter. If the site is a damp verge rather than dry sand, Water Gum is the better native for the job. Check the label carefully at purchase. As a rule, take the tree for shade, scent and a trunk to look at, nana for a low soft mass and no future pruning bill, and water gum where the ground is damp or the position is tight against paving. Browse the wider natives range if you are still weighing options.

Shaping the weep, feeding through spring

Prune after the small white spring flowers finish, and work with the weeping habit rather than against it. Shorten wayward arching branches back to a side shoot, lift the skirt to the height you want to walk or mow under, and remove any narrow fork before it grows heavy. It takes regular light trimming and can be held as a screen, but do not cut back into bare old wood, because the response is slow and patchy at best. Feed in early spring with a controlled release fertiliser blended for natives, then mulch and leave it alone. Clearing the year round leaf drop off paths matters more to most owners than any feeding schedule.

Choosing a size

This plant is available in 7 sizes, from 140mm up to 500mm, priced from $16.95 to $479.00 per plant. The size shown is the pot the plant arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. The smaller pots hold younger plants that cost less each and establish quickly, which suits hedges, screens and mass planting where the plant count adds up. The larger sizes carry several more years of growth on the farm and give height and presence straight away, which is what you want for a single feature position or a screen that cannot wait. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to Australian native trees.