Eremophila glabra
common emu-bush
Overview
Eremophila glabra is an evergreen shrub that ranges from a prostrate groundcover to an upright form 1-6.6 feet (0.3-2 m) tall and 3-10 feet (0.9-3 m) wide depending on the form. The leaves are 0.4-1.6 inches (1-4 cm) long, narrow to oval, green to grey-green, and smooth or covered in short hairs. Tubular flowers 0.6-1.2 inches (1.5-3 cm) long appear along the stems in shades of red, orange, yellow, or green, each with a curved tube suited to bird pollination. Flowering runs over a long season, mainly winter to spring. It tolerates drought, heat, alkaline soils, and coastal exposure once established. Prostrate forms spread to cover ground, while upright forms build a rounded shrub. It is short-lived in humid summer-rainfall climates and grows in dry inland and coastal conditions. Forms grafted onto Myoporum spp. rootstock tolerate heavier and wetter soils.
Native Range
Native across much of mainland Australia, including Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. It grows in arid and semi-arid shrubland, mallee, and coastal heath on sandy, loamy, calcareous, and clay soils.Suggested Uses
Planted in dry gardens, rockeries, embankments, and coastal plantings at 3-6.6 feet (0.9-2 m) spacing. Prostrate forms are used as groundcover and for erosion control on slopes. The curved flowers draw nectar-feeding birds. It is not suited to poorly drained or summer-humid sites.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 6'7"
Width/Spread3' - 9'10"
Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
red, orange, yellow, or greenFoliage Description
green to grey-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
It grows in full sun in sandy, loamy, calcareous, or clay soils with sharp drainage and a pH of 6.0-8.5. Water sparingly; established plants tolerate extended drought and rot in soils that stay wet. It tolerates heat, frost to about 25°F (-4°C), and salt-laden coastal wind. Plants are short-lived where summers are humid and wet. Forms grafted onto Myoporum spp. rootstock tolerate heavier soils.Pruning
Tip-prune after the main flowering flush to keep a compact habit. Plants tolerate moderate pruning but are slow to regrow from bare old wood. Prostrate forms can be trimmed at the edges to limit spread.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
late springsummer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons