Dodonaea ceratocarpa
Horny Hop-Bush
Beat the weeds and green your garden with this magnificent ground cover.
The prostrate form of Dodonaea ceratocarpa creates a dense ground cover of up to 30 cm high and 4 m wide.
The small and insignificant cream-green flowers occur mainly from May to October and are followed by winged fruit. But it is the little deep green, flat leaves, 3–12 mm wide, which are the most attractive feature.
Grow it at home
- Will thrive in all well-drained soil types, including coastal limestone
- Tolerant of full sun through to heavy shade
- Excellent ground cover
- Water weekly until established and once a week during dry spells to maintain lush green foliage
This makes for a great ground cover option for natural weed suppression, succeeding in heavy shade where many ground covers fail.
Fun fact: Early settlers used the winged fruits of some Dodonaea species as a substitute for hops when brewing beer. This gave rise to the common name of the genus.
Find it in Kings Park
See Dodonaea ceratocarpa in the Marri and Jarrah Woodland Garden, May Drive Parkland and Poolgarla Family Area.
Out in the wild
Dodonaea ceratocarpa is found widely throughout the south-west of Western Australian, from Coorow to the north and Cape Arid to the south-east. This species grows in a range of environments including the Geraldton sandplains, Swan Coastal Plain, Jarrah Forest, Wheatbelt, Mallee and Esperance Plains.
