In this post I am adding to my Eremophila database and also trying to increase awareness of native plants which I believe have proven to be reasonably drought hardy. As a genus Eremophilas are very tough native shrubs, they will grow in a well drained soil in full sun to part shade and although they mainly come from Western and South Australia many of them cope quite well on the east coast.
This first Eremophila is a form of glabra called ‘Murchison Magic’, there are many forms of Eremophila glabra with the soft furry silver leaf, they are very tolerant of coastal conditions.
Eremophila glabra ‘Murchison Magic’ grows into a dense medium shrub between 1 and 3 metres wide by the same high, it is a drought hardy Waterwise plant once established.
This second Emu Bush is Eremophila longifolia as you can see in the image above it has lovely long drooping leaves which make it a graceful open shrub.
Eremophila longifolia grows naturally all over Australia mainly in arid zones but is highly adaptable to residential gardens. It will grow to around 3 to 4 metres high but can be pruned to shape.
It will grow on different types of soil, survives in areas with high temperatures and copes well with variable and unpredictable rainfall patterns, dense its ability to cope with our continuing erratic climate crisis.
So why not try one of these Eremophila species in your native garden to add wildlife habitat, food for birds and insects and year round colour and foliage contrast, once established they shouldn’t be too fussy about things like regular rainfall 😉
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