Myoporum parvifolium - commonly known as Groundcover Ngaio or Creeping Boobialla, is a low-growing, evergreen ground cover from Australia and belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family. It forms a dense, spreading mat, generally growing around 10–20 cm high and up to 1–3 m wide, It has small, narrow leaves that develop an attractive deep green to purple-bronze colouring when grown in full sun, making it particularly striking in the landscape. From late spring through summer and into early autumn it produces attractive small, star-shaped white to pale-pink flowers with purple markings, which can attract bees and other pollinators. The plant is well suited to full sun, although it will tolerate partial shade, and performs best in well-drained soils, once established, it is highly tolerant of drought, coastal conditions, salt spray, wind, poor soils and moderate frost. Its dense growth makes it particularly useful for weed suppression, erosion control, covering banks and slopes, rockeries, borders, retaining walls, pathways and as a low-maintenance living mulch. It is generally a low-maintenance, medium-growing plant and can be lightly trimmed after flowering to maintain a tidy, dense appearance. Planting approximately 50–60 cm apart allows plants to knit together and provide good ground coverage. Overall, Myoporum parvifolium is a hardy, versatile and attractive ground cover for sunny, dry or coastal gardens where a fast-spreading, low-growing plant is required.
