Eremophila maculata compact form (Emu Bush)

Eremophila maculata compact form (Emu Bush)

This compact form of Eremophila maculata is a delight. It only grows about 60cm tall by about the same wide. The flowers are out of proportion to the size of the plant, being the same size as those on Eremophila maculata (Spotted Emu Bush).

All the desirable qualities apply to this plant. It is small, frost and drought hardy and lime tolerant. I think this plant flowers for a much longer period than the standard Eremophila maculata. Everyone admires the brilliantly coloured flowers. Like all Eremophilas, it benefits from light pruning or trimming from a young age.

The Mallee Ringnecks adore it and they can’t be wrong. It was an amusing sight, which we caught with the camera, to see one of the locals fly to the vicinity of the bush, waddle up to it and proceed to pick the flowers, get the nectar from the base of the tube and drop the flower to the ground before proceding to the next flower. The ground surrounding the bush was littered with chewed flowers. Destructive little beast! Incredibly this bush produces so many flowers that the chewed ones were not missed.