Eremophila Images
Eremophilas are a very variable genus of plants. They vary in size from prostrate ground covers to small shrubby trees, that vary in the colour of foliage from grey white to deep greens and also in flower colours which includes white, blue, purple, green, yellow, red, pink and apricot etc.
Here’s just a few of the eremophilas I have in flower at the moment in my garden. I though it might be interesting to show how if you wanted to you could nearly build a drought proof garden with just Eremophilas and never get bored.
Eremophilas are very drought tolerant and respond well to pruning after their flowering which encourages a bushier plant that produces lots of flowers the following season.
Eremophila Alternifolia x Maculata Flower
Eremophila Biserrata, makes a thick low ground cover.
Eremophila Biserrata Flowers and Foliage
Eremophila Eriocalyx Flowers
Eremophila Glabra
Eremophila Glabra Protrate Green Flowers, growing over Eremophila Biserrata
Eremophila Hillii Flowers
Eremophila Hillii in flower
Eremophila Kalbarri Carpet, low ground cover.
Eremophila Kalbarri Carpet Flowers
Eremophila Maculata Apricot Flowers
Eremophila Maculata "Aurea" flowers
Eremophila Maculata Pink, or so the label said. Eremophila Laanii might becloser to the mark though? Flowers during winter and into spring. Very floriferous.
Eremophila Maculata Red
Eremophila Maculata Red Flowers
Eremophila Maculata subsp Brevifolia is how this Eremophila was labeled but the leaves don't resemble brevifolia. This is very floriferous and has a very long flowering season from winter right though to summer.
Eremophila Maculata subsp Brevifolia flowers. This photo doesn't do justice to the colour of these flowers, as they are nearly flouresant. This plant may be called "Valentine" in the USA?
Eremophila Maculata Thundercloud Flowers
Eremophila Maculata "Winter Gold". A much better flowerer than "Aurea". It is very floriferous and these bright yellow buds remain unopened for quite a while before opening into a paler yellow flower.
Eremophila Oppositifolia flower buds
Eremophila Oppositifolia Flowers
Eremophila Racemosa Flowers start off orange and then open into a pink colour. Flowers in spring and into summer and puts on quite a display. It is quick growing but the branches are brittle but if you keep it out of strong winds you won't have a problem.
Eremophila Subtereifolia, low bushy groundcover.
Eremophila "Yanna Road" Flowers
“Australia’s Eremophilas” a Highly Recommended reference book for the Eremophila enthusiast and Home Gardener
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Posted: September 30th, 2009 under Eremophila.
Tags: Eremophila, glabra, maculata, racemosa, valentine
Comments
Comment from elephant’s eye
Time October 2, 2009 at 3:51 am
What a wide range of colours! Is this an Australian plant?
Comment from Rebel Gardener
Time October 2, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Yes they mainly thrive in arid areas of inland Australia. The name loosely translates as “Desert Loving” so most are very drought tolerant. I think they are very underused in gardens as they have so many outstanding feature. The one’s shown above are really just the tip of the iceberg.
http://www.gardeningnativeplants.com/eremophilas/
Comment from Margaret Blake
Time October 11, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Eremophila subtereifolia makes a lovely plant when grown in a hollow log. I have one growing in a stump 900mm high and it now to the ground.
Comment from Rebel Gardener
Time October 12, 2009 at 7:20 am
Wow what a great idea. It makes such a wonderfully dense ground cover to suppress weeds but what you’ve done is make it even more interesting again.
Comment from Tony
Time October 20, 2009 at 6:54 pm
You’ve sold me on Eremophila’s! Great pictures and a good resource…thanks!
Comment from Rebel Gardener
Time October 21, 2009 at 7:11 am
Thanks Tony
Comment from Geri Barr
Time November 23, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I saw Erimophila Hygrophana on Gardening Australia and thought it the answer to a native drought tolerant solution to our dead lawn. While searching for more information I happily found your website. Fabulous! What a great site. I’ll look through in more detail when not so tired. Do you think the native I mention is good for large areas of ground instead of a lawn? We live in inner city Melbourne. Bit prickly on the feet I imagine? I guess we could put in a couple and have crushed rock paths going around them… Thanks Tony!
Comment from Rebel Gardener
Time November 24, 2009 at 6:59 am
Hi Tony
Eremophila Biserrata would be best as a lawn alternative and Eremophila Subtereifolia would also be ok for smaller areas. Neither though are suitable for lots of foot traffic but if you used paths as you suggested that would be ok.
Comment from roughbarked
Time November 29, 2009 at 8:17 am
I’ve been growing Eremophila species for 30 years.
Eremophila biserrata like any plant requires water. It would never make it into a lawn like state without lawn like watering.
Contrary to popular belief natives are plants too and no plant will perform without the required levels of aqua.
Admittedly Eremophila species respond to water more rapidly than many plants but they still need the stuff.
Comment from Rebel Gardener
Time November 29, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Hi Roughbarked, thanks for your comment. You’re 100% correct about Eremophilas requiring water. I don’t know of any plants that can survive without it.
The fact is though they do require considerably less than most other plants. You only have to look at their natural environment. They grow naturally in areas that can go for months without rainfall.
I’ve got a small lawn area of Palmetto Buffalo grass in my backyard which is a fairly drought tolerant lawn. I know for a fact that it needs a lot more water that the Eremophila Biserratas I have growng in my garden. In fact I don’t water any of my Eremophilas. They all just survive on my annual rainfall of about 300mm.
Therefore if someone wanted to grow Eremophila Biserrata as a lawn alternative I’d have no hesitation in recommending it. As long as they followed what I suggested above and didn’t subject it foot traffic.
Comment from roughbarked
Time December 1, 2009 at 12:42 pm
My annual average is 300 mm as well and yes Eremophila biserrata may grow here and cover the ground well but it needs to have a drip feed of water.
It will not survive here without supplementary water. Will not be able to make up for the loss of foliage on every high UV day. Buffalo lawn is considerably more resistant to direct sun.
So though I’m all for planting Eremophila, there is more to growing each species than meets the eye. I would not water my buffalo lawn more than once every month or so. The lawn gets full sun. I have to hide Eremohila biserrata under shrubs to get it to stay alive let alone grow.
Comment from Rebel Gardener
Time December 1, 2009 at 6:34 pm
It sounds unusual your description of E biserrata. I can only suggest that maybe the nursery you bought it from mislabeled E serpens as E biserrata. E serpens is very similar in appearance and growth habit but does require some extra water. It wouldn’t be the first time similar plants have been confused when labeled in a nursery?
Comment from Noelle
Time September 30, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Hello Mike,
I have not seen Eremophila grown as a groundcover – wish we had that here in Arizona. I do have the Eremophila maculata ‘Pink’, which I love.