Overview

Dracophyllum is a plant with a shrub, small tree habit in the genus Dracophyllum, part of the Ericaceae family, with evergreen foliage. Dracophyllum grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and acid pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include specimen plant, rock garden and coastal planting.

About

Dracophyllum is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the heath family, notable for narrow, tufted leaves often held at branch tips. It favours an open, south-facing position in a sheltered site and flowers in July to September. Plant in an acidic loam kept consistently moist rather than waterlogged. Its upright habit makes it useful as a singular focal plant or in coastal and rock-garden compositions.

About the genus

Dracophyllum is a genus of plants belonging to the family Ericaceae, formerly Epacridaceae. There are 61 species in the genus, mostly shrubs, but also cushion plants and trees, found in New Zealand, Australia, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia. Although dicotyledonous, they resemble primitive monocots with their slender leaves concentrated in clumps at the ends of the branches; they are sometimes called grass-trees.

Wikipedia contributors, "Dracophyllum", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Dracophyllum

In the garden

Dracophyllum belongs to the Ericaceae and includes forms that range from multi-stemmed shrubs to small trees, often bearing long, sword-like leaves clustered at branch ends. Species in the genus are native to parts of the southern Pacific and nearby islands, and in a UK setting they perform best where exposure is limited and sunlight is strong. Give Dracophyllum a full-sun, south-facing site that is sheltered from prevailing winds. Use a freely draining loam amended for acidity and keep soil reliably moist; avoid alkaline conditions. It carries a UK hardiness rating of H4 (average hardy), so protection from cold drying winds in exposed gardens will improve winter survival. Mulch with ericaceous material to help retain moisture and maintain an acid root environment. Where to use it: place Dracophyllum as a specimen on a coastal or sheltered border, at the back of a rock garden, or as an architectural element near paths where its tall leaves catch the eye. It flowers from July to September, supplying vertical interest through midsummer into early autumn, and its form complements gravel or acid-loving plantings rather than lime-loving companions.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Dracophyllum

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Loam

Soil pH

Acid

Soil moisture

Moist

Aspect

South-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H4

Plant details

Dracophyllum size, habit and characteristics

Habit

Shrub, small tree

Foliage

Evergreen

Suggested uses

Specimen plant, rock garden, coastal planting

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Dracophyllum

Propagation

Seed, cuttings

Pest resistance

High

Disease resistance

High

Frequently asked questions