The first thing that attracted me to the Emu Bush was the name. How can you not like a plant with the name EMU? The second thing that caught my attention was the fact that they bloom in the winter. What a perfect way to add color to the long brown season called winter.
The Emu bush comes in several varieties. There is the Winter Blaze (Eremophila carnosa) which boasts a brilliant firetruck red flower. The Gold Emu (Eremophila glabra) has delicate yellow blossoms that contrast beautifully against our brown soil. Last of my favorite Emu bushes in the Valentine Emu (Eremophila maculata) which, as you might have guessed, shows off in pinks. *
Emu bushes also tend to grow slightly different from one another. Winter Blaze and the Valentine Emus grow to quite large bushes – 4-6 feet in all directions, whereas the Gold Emu is more of a ground cover growing to a 12′ spread but only about 20″ high. They love full sun and are quite hardy. They can be lightly pruned to maintain bushiness, and only need water about twice per month (a little more in the heat of the summer). Hummingbirds love this winter gem which is a big plus in my garden.
If you are interested in learning more about the Emu Bush here are a few references:
https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=964
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eremophila_glabra#
*This is a good time to remind you that the botanic name is important. If you want to line a wall with high bushes, then don’t grab the Eremophila glabra, but consider the Eremophila carnosa instead.
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