Thryptomene saxicola

This is a plant I've never seen growing or for sale here in Southern California (Doesn't mean it isn't available, only that I've never seen it).  I got it from a wholesale grower in San Diego county.  He wasn't growing it himself.  He had what appeared to be some odd samples of various plants he wanted to get rid of.  Two of them were Thryptomene saxicola, which I bought. 

Thryptomene saxicola is native to western Australia.  It's in the Myrtle family.  Googling brings up many Australian references, but few for the US.  Is it soon to be a new introduction here? 

It's described as quite tough and drought-tolerant.  In late winter it covers itself with tiny pink flowers.  Growth habit is low and horizontal--to me it seems like a horizontal version of Coleonema pulchellum, a delightful South African plant that could well do with a horizontal version.  And it's apparently a nice cut flower as well, like another Aussie, Chamelaucium uncinatum.

I planted my pair in a sunny, rather dry location--we'll see how they perform  There is new growth on them since I put them in the ground, so they've apparently survived, so far.  I have no one to ask, face-to-face, how this plant will do, no direct experience in my climate to rely on, no mistakes of others to learn from.  The plant will have to teach me.   It's plain, green, feathery without its spectacular coating of flowers:



Australians may read this and giggle and think, "Oh, that boring old common plant!"--there in Australia, it might be as common and mundane as Washingtonia filifera is here.  But: location, location, location.  It's adventure time.