Correa Plants for Sale

Correa — Australia's beloved Native Fuchsia — is one of the hardest-working native plants in Australian gardens. Drought-tolerant, frost-hardy, evergreen, and extraordinarily generous in flower through autumn and winter when most other plants are bare, Correa earns its permanent place in gardens across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia.

Whether you're creating a coastal windbreak that shrugs off salt spray, a low-maintenance native hedge, a ground-covering carpet for a difficult bank, a wildlife-friendly bird garden, or a colourful pot specimen for a patio — there's a Correa variety perfectly matched to your space, climate, and soil.

Online Plants supplies a carefully selected range of Correa varieties grown by specialist Australian nurseries and delivered directly to your door — healthy, established, and ready to go in the ground. Every plant is backed by our exclusive 30-Day Guarantee to Grow. 

Why Correa Is One of Australia's Most Useful Native Shrubs

Correa (Correa spp.) belongs to the Rutaceae family — the same family as commercial citrus fruits — and is endemic to Australia, with 11 recognised species occurring across the east and south coast, from Tasmania through Victoria and NSW to South East Queensland, and across to South Australia.

What sets Correa apart from other native shrubs is its winter flowering habit. While most ornamental plants are dormant or flowerless from April through August, Correa fills the garden with delicate, pendulous bell-shaped flowers in shades of white, pink, red, coral, and yellow — providing brilliant colour and vital nectar exactly when native honeyeaters, wattlebirds, and spinebills need it most.

They are also remarkably tough. Once established, Correa handles drought, coastal salt winds, moderate frost, light shade, poor soils, and general neglect with an ease that few native plants can match. They grow quickly, require minimal maintenance, and are largely free of pests and diseases — making them the ideal choice for busy gardeners and low-maintenance native landscapes alike.

With growth habits ranging from prostrate 30cm ground covers to upright 2-metre shrubs, Correa fills every role in the garden: hedging, screening, ground cover, border planting, container growing, and wildlife gardening.

Which Correa Is Right for You? Compare All Varieties

Variety	Height	Spread	Sun	Flowering	Best Use
Correa Alba White	1.5–2m	1.5–2m	Full/Part	April–Sept	Coastal hedges, windbreaks, bird gardens
Correa Alba Prostrate	30cm	1–1.2m	Full/Part	April–Sept	Ground cover, bank stabilisation, edging
Correa Glabra Yellow	1–1.5m	1–1.5m	Full/Part	May–Oct	Borders, low informal hedges, pots
Correa Dusky Bells	60–80cm	60–80cm	Full/Part	April–Oct	Low borders, rockeries, cottage gardens
Correa Baeuerlenii	60–90cm	60–90cm	Part	May–Sept	Shaded gardens, understorey, pots
Correa Pulchella Pink Bells	50–80cm	50–80cm	Full/Part	March–Oct	Rockeries, mixed borders, bird gardens
Correa Reflexa Redex	60–90cm	1–1.5m	Full/Part	April–Nov	Native gardens, ground cover, screening

How Many Correa Plants Do I Need for a Hedge or Border?

For a native privacy hedge or windbreak: Space plants 80cm to 1 metre apart. Plants will fill together within 1–2 growing seasons to form a dense, interconnected hedge with excellent wind and privacy screening.

For a formal, clipped low hedge: Space plants 50–60cm apart. Closer spacing accelerates density and is ideal for neat, defined garden edges and formal native hedges along pathways or driveways.

For ground cover (Correa Alba Prostrate or Reflexa Redex): Space plants 60–80cm apart. Their naturally spreading habit fills the gaps efficiently within one full growing season.

Quick calculation: Measure your hedge run in metres, divide by your chosen spacing, then add 1 plant for the final end. A 10-metre hedge at 0.8m spacing = 13 plants. A 10-metre ground cover planting at 0.7m spacing = 15 plants.

How to Plant and Care for Correa in Australia

Soil Preparation

Correa is adaptable to most well-drained soil types, from sandy coastal soils to loamy garden beds. The single most critical requirement is good drainage — Correa will not tolerate waterlogged or constantly wet soil. In heavy clay gardens, add gypsum and coarse sand, or form raised mounds 15–20cm high before planting. Avoid low-lying planting positions where water pools after rain. Before planting, enrich the soil with a quality native-specific compost or aged organic matter to improve soil structure and microbial activity.

Planting

Dig a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball. Backfill with the existing soil mixed with native-specific compost, firm gently, and water in thoroughly with a seaweed solution to support root establishment and reduce transplant shock. Apply a 5–8cm layer of coarse organic mulch — native bark, leaf litter, or wood chip — over the root zone, keeping the mulch away from the main stem to prevent collar rot.

Watering

Water consistently for the first 12 months while the root system establishes. Once established, Correa is highly drought-tolerant and requires only deep, infrequent watering during extended dry periods. Overwatering is one of the most common causes of Correa failure — allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings and never let plants sit in wet soil. In summer, deep watering once per week or once per fortnight is generally sufficient for established plants.

Fertilising

Correa requires minimal fertilising. Apply a low-phosphorus, native-specific slow-release fertiliser in early spring and again in autumn. Standard fertilisers with high phosphorus levels can damage and eventually kill Australian native plants — always check the label before using. A light application of organic mulch breaking down over the root zone provides gentle background nutrition that suits Correa perfectly.

Pruning

Light tip pruning after the main flowering period (September–October) shapes the plant, encourages bushier and denser growth, and promotes a stronger flowering display the following season. Remove any dead or damaged branches as they appear. For hedging varieties, regular light trimming through the growing season maintains a dense, uniform hedge form. Correa tolerates pruning by up to one-third without stress. Avoid heavy pruning in late summer and autumn as this can reduce winter flowering.

Pests to watch for
•    Scale insects — the most common Correa pest. Appears as brown or white crusty lumps on stems. Treat with 2–3 applications of horticultural oil spray (eco-oil or white oil) at fortnightly intervals.
•    Root rot (Phytophthora) — caused by waterlogged soil. Prevention through good drainage is critical. If symptoms appear (sudden wilting, brown roots), improve drainage immediately and treat with a phosphonate-based anti-fungal.
•    Caterpillars — occasional damage to young foliage. Remove by hand or treat with a contact insecticide labelled for caterpillars on ornamental natives.
•    Thrips — causes silvery streaking on foliage. Treat with horticultural oil or spinosad-based insecticide in the early morning.

Delivered Fresh from the Grower to Your Door

Every Correa plant you order from Online Plants travels directly from our specialist Australian nurseries to your property — no warehousing, no depot delays, no reduction in plant health between nursery and your garden.

Plants arrive established, healthy, and ready to go in the ground the day they arrive. We deliver across Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, Queensland, and South Australia. Due to biosecurity quarantine restrictions, we are currently unable to deliver to Western Australia, Tasmania, or the Northern Territory.

Our 30-Day Guarantee to Grow is straightforward: if your Correa doesn't establish and thrive within 30 days of delivery, we'll make it right. We've been growing and supplying quality native plants for over 50 years, and we stand behind every plant we sell.

Frequently Asked Question - FAQs

Are Correa plants suitable for Australian gardens?

Absolutely — Correa is endemic to Australia and perfectly suited to Australian growing conditions. They are among the most adaptable and low-maintenance native shrubs available, thriving across Victoria, NSW, SA, and QLD in a wide range of soils, climates, and positions from full sun to dappled shade.

When do Correa plants flower in Australia?

Most Correa varieties flower from autumn through to late winter and early spring — typically April to October — with peak flowering from May to September. This winter flowering habit makes Correa exceptionally valuable in the garden, providing colour and bird-attracting nectar when most other plants are dormant.

Are Correa plants fast growing?

Correa are moderate growers. Most varieties reach their mature size within 2–4 years. Once established in good conditions, they grow steadily and reliably without requiring the intensive feeding and watering that faster-growing exotic plants demand.

Do Correa plants attract birds?

Yes — this is one of Correa's greatest strengths as a garden plant. The nectar-rich tubular flowers are a powerful magnet for native honeyeaters, wattlebirds, spinebills, and lorikeets. Because Correa flowers through winter, it provides a critical food source for nectar-feeding birds during the season when little else is in flower.

Are Correa plants drought tolerant?

Yes. Once established (typically after 12 months), Correa is highly drought tolerant and requires only occasional deep watering during extended dry periods. This makes them one of the best choices for water-wise and low-maintenance Australian gardens. Regular watering during the first year of establishment is important for strong root development.