shrub

Silky Guinea-flower

The Story

Plant Bio

Hibbertia sericea, the silky guinea-flower, is a small, compact evergreen shrub native to southern and eastern Australia, reaching up to twenty-eight inches in height. It features softly hairy young branches and small, dark green leaves with rolled-under margins and woolly, pale undersides.

Bright yellow, five-petaled flowers up to an inch across open at the branch tips in spring, displaying a cluster of stamens crowded to one side of the central carpels. The foliage has a distinctly downy, velvety texture from fine, star-shaped hairs on the new growth.

Uses & Benefits:

Produces a bright display of yellow flowers against dark green, woolly-textured foliage.

Highly suited for container culture and rockeries where soil drainage can be strictly controlled.

Provides nectar and pollen for bees and other beneficial insect pollinators when grown outdoors.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Shrub

Height

28"

Width

39"

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

9, 10

Water

Low

Humidity

Unknown

Lifespan

Moderate

Native To

Australia

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Bloom period

Spring – Late spring

In flower about 3 months of the year

Planting

How to Grow

Select a container with multiple drainage holes and fill it with a highly porous, sandy potting mix.
Position the plant in a location receiving full sun to light afternoon shade to maximize flower production.
Water deeply only when the top two inches of soil have dried completely, as wet roots trigger rapid decline.
Bring the container indoors to a bright, frost-free room or greenhouse before the first autumn freeze.

Pro Tip

Never shear this shrub back into old, leafless wood; unlike many Australian natives, it lacks dormant epicormic buds on mature stems and will fail to regenerate from hard cuts.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Use a highly free-draining, sandy or gravelly growing medium.
Prune lightly immediately after spring flowering to maintain a dense, mounded habit.
Provide shelter from freezing winter temperatures in zones colder than USDA Zone 9.

Don't

Do not allow the roots to sit in standing water or heavy, moisture-retaining clay soils.
Do not cut back into old, bare wood when pruning.
Do not apply heavy fertilizers, especially those high in phosphorus.

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Fertilize
Pest Check
Prune
Winter Prep

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Container GardeningConservatory SpecimenPatio Plant

Companion Plants

Anigozanthos flavidus Correa reflexa Westringia fruticosa

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Silky Guinea-flower questions

What zones can Silky Guinea-flower grow in?

Silky Guinea-flower is hardy in USDA Zones 9–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Silky Guinea-flower deer resistant?

Yes — Silky Guinea-flower is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Silky Guinea-flower bloom?

Silky Guinea-flower typically blooms in spring through late spring. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Silky Guinea-flower need full sun?

Silky Guinea-flower does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Is Silky Guinea-flower drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Silky Guinea-flower handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.