Aussie Salute Blue Fan Flower

Aussie Salute Blue Fan Flower (Scaevola aemula 'Aussie Salute Blue') is a native fan flower bred to stand up in a border instead of trailing along the ground. It grows 20 to 30cm high and 40 to 50cm wide, with a bushy, leafy habit and abundant blue toned purple flowers that start almost at once.

Why you'll love it

• A strong blue toned purple. The colour is deep and cool, and it stands out against the fresh green leaves.
• Upright and bushy. It is bred to be more upright and leafy than other fan flowers, so the flowers sit up where you can see them.
• Flowers almost at once. Fast growing cover and quick flowering mean results in weeks rather than seasons.
• Frost and drought tolerant. Once established it copes with frost and dry spells, which is a useful pair of strengths in a native plant.
• Little maintenance. After the first few months it needs only the occasional tidy.

Where it works best

Mixed borders and cottage gardens. Plant 40cm apart so the mounds meet. The upright habit makes it a good partner for roses, grasses and silver foliage.

Mass groundcover and underplanting. At the same 40cm spacing it makes a quick flowering carpet under shrubs and along sunny edges.

Rockeries, baskets and patio pots. It is a fast way to get colour on a patio, and in a rockery it softens the stones without smothering them.

Growing Aussie Salute Blue Fan Flower in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the most flowers. It flowers all year in frost free locations and in spring where frosts are heavy. It tolerates frost once established, so it suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens.

Soil. Well drained soil suits it best. In heavy ground plant on a low mound, or choose a pot or basket.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly until established, usually around 12 weeks. After that it tolerates drought, with a deep drink in a heatwave. A light feed in spring supports flowering.

Pruning. Prune as required to maintain tidy growth. A trim after the main flush keeps the plant dense and encourages new flowers.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Aussie Salute Blue Fan Flower as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tubes are the economical choice for a large planting, and the 140mm pots give a faster display in a small bed or basket. Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out on this page, and the notify button emails you the day it is back.

Plants travel upright and settle fast. Plant out soon after delivery, water in well and mulch the soil around them.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the fan flower range
• More Australian native plants
• Groundcover plants
• Perennial plants for a cottage garden

Common questions

Does Aussie Salute Blue trail or grow upright?

It is bred to be more upright and bushy than other fan flowers, so it forms a leafy mound that shows off its flowers, though it will still spread to 40 to 50cm.

When does it flower?

Almost immediately, and then all year in frost free locations. Where frosts are heavy, the main flowering is in spring.

Will it survive frost and dry weather?

Yes. Once established it is both frost and drought tolerant, with regular water needed only for the first 12 weeks or so.