Crowea exalata 'Rubra' Southern Stars with red-bronze foliage and plant tag in a black nursery pot, white background, available in Canberra
Crowea exalata 'Rubra' Southern Stars shrub covered in pink star flowers in a mulched garden bed
Close-up of pink five-petalled Crowea exalata star flowers and buds on red stems
Crowea exalata 'Rubra' Southern Stars with fine copper-tipped foliage in a 140mm pot, showing the size delivered

Crowea exalata 'Rubra' Southern Stars (Small 140mm pot)

$21.50

Southern Stars is a small, tidy native shrub with fine foliage that takes on deep red and copper tones, lit up by delicate pink star-shaped flowers through autumn and winter, when little else in the garden is flowering. It stays compact at around 70cm, so it suits rockeries, borders and pots, and a light trim after flowering keeps it dense. Crowea exalata copes with moderate frosts and does best in well-drained soil, making it a pretty, low-fuss choice for Canberra gardens.

  • Mature size: approx. 0.7m x 0.7m
  • Foliage: fine, narrow leaves with deep red to copper tones
  • Flowers: delicate pink stars in autumn and winter
  • Growth habit: compact, dwarf and rounded
  • Position: full sun to part shade
  • Climate: tolerates moderate frost once established
  • Water needs: low to moderate; needs good drainage
  • Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
  • Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
  • Maintenance: trim after flowering; feed with a low-phosphorus native fertiliser in spring
  • Ideal for: rockeries, borders, native gardens and squat terracotta pots

Southern Stars is a small, tidy native shrub with fine foliage that takes on deep red and copper tones, lit up by delicate pink star-shaped flowers through autumn and winter, when little else in the garden is flowering. It stays compact at around 70cm, so it suits rockeries, borders and pots, and a light trim after flowering keeps it dense. Crowea exalata copes with moderate frosts and does best in well-drained soil, making it a pretty, low-fuss choice for Canberra gardens.

  • Mature size: approx. 0.7m x 0.7m
  • Foliage: fine, narrow leaves with deep red to copper tones
  • Flowers: delicate pink stars in autumn and winter
  • Growth habit: compact, dwarf and rounded
  • Position: full sun to part shade
  • Climate: tolerates moderate frost once established
  • Water needs: low to moderate; needs good drainage
  • Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
  • Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
  • Maintenance: trim after flowering; feed with a low-phosphorus native fertiliser in spring
  • Ideal for: rockeries, borders, native gardens and squat terracotta pots