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Blog · 13 October 2026

New plant releases worth a look for North Shore gardens this spring

Recent Australian plant releases that suit Sydney's North Shore: a mildew-resistant crepe myrtle, a slim lilly pilly, a blue hedge shrub and three 2026 natives.

By Robert Navarro ·

Crepe myrtle in flower with red blooms
Photo: Jim Evans, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Short answer: of the recent Australian releases I've looked at, three are already in Sydney-area nurseries and suit North Shore conditions: Grande Red crepe myrtle (described by its breeder as having improved resistance to powdery mildew), Velvet Sky (a blue-leaved hedge shrub) and Straight and Narrow lilly pilly (a slim native screen). Retail prices, checked on 12 October 2026, are under each plant. Three 2026 releases, including a narrow banksia and a rice flower that both grow wild locally, are worth asking your nursery about, but I couldn't find them in NSW or Victorian retail stock yet.

Every spring the breeders put out a new list, and most of it is bred for "Australian conditions" in general. North Shore gardens are more specific than that: humid summers, heavy shale clay on the ridges, sandstone in the gullies, tall canopy shade, and possums. So I've only included plants that make sense here, I've checked each one's weed status, and I've only linked to NSW nurseries. Prices were checked on 12 October 2026 and will change.

Grande Red crepe myrtle

What it is: Lagerstroemia 'CM01', released by Ozbreed in 2025. A red-flowered crepe myrtle with dark burgundy foliage, flowering in summer and autumn. Ozbreed gives its height as about 4 m and says it can be pruned to about 2.5 m as a large shrub.

Why it suits the North Shore: the usual complaint about crepe myrtles here is powdery mildew, the grey coating on leaves and buds that shows up in humid Sydney summers. Ozbreed describes Grande Red as having improved natural resistance to powdery mildew, even in wet conditions, and says it has been tested for drought and frost tolerance. It's deciduous, so you get summer shade and winter sun, which makes it a good small tree near a north-facing living area. Give it full sun. On heavy clay, plant it slightly high so the roots never sit in water.

Retail price (checked 12 Oct 2026, will change): Sydney's Plant Market, Annangrove, $25 for 200 mm. Mountain View Nursery, Moruya, $42 for 200 mm.

Crepe myrtles are deciduous, which makes them useful on the north side of a living area. A deciduous tree lets winter sun in through its bare branches and gives shade in summer, which is the idea behind passive solar design (YourHome, Australian Government).

Velvet Sky

What it is: Metrosideros collina 'MB01', an Ozbreed 2024 release. Ozbreed describes "inky blue stems", blue velvety leaves and red flowers. It grows to about 2–4 m high and 1–3 m wide, and Ozbreed lists Sydney and central NSW among the areas where it works.

Why it suits the North Shore: blue foliage usually means a plant that wants full sun, but Ozbreed rates it for full sun to light shade and says the blue stems look stronger in light shade, which suits gardens under a high canopy. Ozbreed and Mountain View Nursery both say to avoid wet feet, so on clay it needs a raised or well-drained bed.

One thing to check: Metrosideros belongs to the myrtle family, which means it can get myrtle rust (NSW DPI). Look for yellow powdery spots on new growth before you buy.

Retail price (checked 12 Oct 2026, will change): Mountain View Nursery, Moruya, $48 for 200 mm.

Straight and Narrow lilly pilly

What it is: Syzygium australe 'SAN01', part of Ozbreed's narrow-space range. It grows tall and slim, with red new growth that turns glossy green. Mountain View Nursery suggests it as a native alternative to pencil pine.

Why it suits the North Shore: side passages between houses are a common place for a screen, and a normal lilly pilly there ends up being cut back hard every few months. Ozbreed says this one can easily be kept about 1 m wide while screening well over 3 m high, and that it takes full sun to moderately heavy shade. The breeder's patent describes it as resistant to lilly pilly psyllid (the pest behind the pimply new leaves) but says no resistance to other pests and diseases has been seen. Like all lilly pillies, it can get myrtle rust.

Retail price (checked 12 Oct 2026, will change): Mountain View Nursery, Moruya, from $24 for 140 mm up to $420 for a 75 L plant.

More on the psyllid in my post on bumps on lilly pilly leaves.

For a narrow side passage, 'Straight and Narrow' is the one I'd look at. Ozbreed's product sheet gives a natural width of 1–1.5 m and 1–1.5 plants per metre, and says to prune twice a year for a very tidy hedge, or every 2–3 years if a wider screen is fine.

2026 releases to ask your nursery about

These are on Ozbreed's 2026 list. I couldn't find them in NSW or Victorian retail stock yet, so there are no prices here. Ozbreed lists Kellyville Plant Patch and Ramm Botanicals as NSW growers of Narrow Nugget, so a local nursery may be able to order it in.

  • Narrow Nugget banksia (Banksia spinulosa 'BAS03'). A hairpin banksia selection with golden-yellow flower cones for much of the year, about 1–1.5 m tall and only 50–75 cm wide (Ozbreed). Hairpin banksia grows wild in the North Shore's sandstone bushland. Ozbreed rates this one for full sun to light shade and recommends a low-phosphorus native fertiliser only. The native plant finder shows which communities the species belongs to.
  • White Horse rice flower (Ozothamnus diosmifolius 'OZDI01'). A compact selection of a local shrub, with masses of crisp white buds (Ozbreed). The species grows naturally on both the shale and the sandstone soils of the area. If you're not sure which you have, the which plant community guide will help.
  • Slender Black crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia 'CM04'). Described by Ozbreed as a mildew-resistant crepe myrtle with dark, almost black foliage and pink flowers.

If you see these listed online, check where the nursery is. Several of the sellers I found are in Queensland, and potted plants from fire ant areas have to meet NSW movement rules before they can come into the state.

A note on new releases

New doesn't always mean tested in your conditions. Ozbreed trials its plants at its farm in Richmond, on Sydney's western edge, through heat, frost, humidity, drought and flooding, which is a good sign. That still isn't the same as a shaded North Shore garden on clay. I'd plant one or two and see how they go before building a whole hedge or bed around one. Proven plants, especially local natives, are still the safest backbone for a garden. If you're mixing new exotics with natives, my garden styles guide covers how to plant a mixed border.

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