Eremophila (emu bush)

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Alisdair

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2013, 01:11:02 PM »
I've not seen any suggestion that Eremophila is invasive in the Mediterranean. It's not listed even as potentially invasive in Spain's official invasive list, and doesn't seem to be considered invasive in California. But that may of course change if these relatively unknown plants become more popular. At least one species (Eremophila mitchelli) can be invasive in Western Australia.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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Marilyn

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2013, 12:49:41 PM »
I have three Eremophila maculata "Aurea" in the garden, in a bed with a thin layer of rubbishy soil on top of panny clay. The area gets irrigated twice a week and this, in combination with the poor drainage, seems to have all but done for the Eremophilas. They are just about still alive and I am going to move them now, to a deep sandy bed with no irrigation which, I hope, will be more to their liking! Will report back on results.
I work in hotel and private gardens, promoting sustainable landscape management in the mediterranean climate through the use of diverse, beautiful and appropriate plants. At home, I garden on two balconies containing mostly succulents.

Trevor Australis

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2013, 10:31:45 PM »
 ;) I recal that some Eremophilas need to be passed through a digestive system in order to initiate germination which I think is the reason they are called Emu Bush. Emus eat the entire seed capsule, which is somewhat fleshy in some sp. The stomach of Emus contains purposely ingested pebbles and grit to break down fibrous foods and thus the Eremophila seeds are released from their capsules and excreted. My observation of Eremophila in the bush is that they are not prolific by natural regenerative processes, so I doubt they would have much weed potential - but would need testing in situ to be certain. Considering their sensitivity to dampness in the soil there's a possibility that few situations in southern Europe would have such conditions apart from a few, scattered situations tho' Israel, Morocco etc. could be a different case. tn
M Land. Arch., B. Sp. Ed. Teacher, traveller and usually climate compatible.

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John J

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2014, 08:06:28 AM »
So far this winter we have had some spells of cold weather, with winds apparently coming down from Russia and straight across Turkey, but no significant rain. At least one plant seems to appreciate the fact that the soil remains relatively dry. This Eremophila has been in flower for a few days now.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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Fermi

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2014, 02:02:05 PM »
John,
that looks quite healthy - another E. maculate type?
I'm coming to love this group of plants and introduced a few to our garden,
this is Eremophila calorhabdos which apparently is called "Red Rod"
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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John J

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #20 on: January 12, 2014, 03:45:46 PM »
Fermi, I believe it is a form of E. maculata. I have difficulty finding areas where these plants can enjoy the good drainage they obviously need. My garden/field is flat and predominantly clay and generally not to their liking.
The plant in your latest 2 pics looks really healthy.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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Fermi

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #21 on: July 29, 2016, 02:20:54 PM »
This is a low growing selection of Eremophila glabra with grey foliage.
We grow it in a raised sand bed so it has excellent drainage,
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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Alisdair

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #22 on: July 30, 2016, 07:13:06 AM »
Eremophilas are hardly known at all in other mediterranean-climate areas, Fermi, but when we were in Australia we saw what marvellous plants they make for a mediterranean garden, with good foliage covered with flowers
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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Janet Ibbotson

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #23 on: July 31, 2016, 08:00:27 AM »
I bought some eremophila in a nursery near Athens.  I think they are e. nivea.  They were planted with varying degrees of success but the most successful is in a friend's garden, planted close to a South facing wall in unimproved soil with no irrigation.  It has become a huge but rather lax bush.  Suggestions for how it should be pruned would be helpful.  I'd be inclined to clip it like westringia or teucrium but I thought it might get some form of die back.  As far as colour is concerned, I came to the conclusion that this variety is far too vibrant to mix with most of the shrubs I would normally plant it alongside such as lavender, santolina, artemisia, salvia, etc.
Janet Ibbotson
MGS Member currently based in Skopelos, Greece but also gardens in Norfolk

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anita

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #24 on: August 01, 2016, 05:49:33 PM »
Janet, Eremophila respond well to pruning and will respond to clipping or even more ruthless treatment. However, I suggest that you prune immediately prior to the growing season, after all risk of frost is over - if you get frosts where you garden. In Australia, where I garden I'd prune in autumn after the rains start as there is little frost risk where I garden. While you are pruning you can also take half hard cuttings if you wish. I find a little hormone powder helps improve the strike rate. As eremophilea are not long lived in wetter climates I tend to take cuttings every couple of years so that I always have a few young plants coming along to replace the older shrubs that are past their best.
I'm surprised that the cultivar you have is too vibrant to gow with lavender, santolina and the others you mention as it is usually a soft grey with lavender flowers. It does prefer drier conditions than E glabra and loathes damp and humidity which is probably why it is thriving against that wall, dry roots and reflected heat from the wall no doubt.
Anita
Dry mediterranean climate, avg annual rainfall 530mm, little or no frost. Winter minimum 1C, summer max 45C

JayB

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #25 on: August 04, 2016, 09:55:07 AM »
These are lovely shrubs, I think I have seen some in a GC here but will have to keep a closer eye out for them now.
A brief search and I can find a couple of places online to order from here in Spain but always prefer to buy in person, especially this time of year if they have to spend hours in a hot truck.
Thanks for sharing. :)
G'day from an Aussie in Spain. Currently attempting a total garden overhaul.

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Fermi

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #26 on: September 18, 2016, 02:46:03 PM »
Here is a slightly more vigorous form of Eremophila glabra growing in a sand-bed close to an Iron-bark (a type of eucalypt)
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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Fermi

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #27 on: September 23, 2016, 11:57:24 PM »
A couple of recently established emu-bushes in a sand-bed:
Eremophila microtheca 2 pics;
E. denticulata x E. calorhabdos;
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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Fermi

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #28 on: January 28, 2018, 03:14:58 PM »
A new one for our garden: Eremophila gibbifolia, the Coccid Emu Bush from Victoria, NSW and South Australia.
We got it a few months ago and haven't had a chance to plant it out but it has started to flower in its pot
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

JayB

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Re: Eremophila (emu bush)
« Reply #29 on: January 28, 2018, 08:40:40 PM »
Beautiful pics of some beautiful plants Fermi.  :)

As per my post above I have acquired a few Eremophila now. My E. nivea is probably the best performing of anything else I have planted next to an Alyogyne. It just doesn't stop growing, flowers for months and has such an amazingly soft foliage with a distinct smell.
I have struggled wit E. maculata but have finally got one to take and two new recent additions of E. glabra kalbarri and E. laanii.

Hopefully I will remember to add pics when they are putting on a show.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2018, 10:42:08 AM by Alisdair »
G'day from an Aussie in Spain. Currently attempting a total garden overhaul.