Blue Horizon™ Emu Bush

Blue Horizon Emu Bush (Eremophila glabra 'EREM1') is a low native groundcover with tidy blue grey foliage and yellow flowers in winter, growing about 25cm high and 1m wide. Bred by Ozbreed with shorter internodes than other prostrate emu bushes, it forms a denser mat with fewer gaps, so it covers ground properly rather than in loose arms. It is a plant for dry, well drained gardens in the southern half of the country.

Why you'll love it

• Denser than other emu bush groundcovers. Shorter gaps between the leaves mean a tighter carpet that hides the soil and holds back weeds.
• Blue grey foliage all year. The leaf colour is the main event, a cool silver blue that sets off green shrubs and warm toned mulch or gravel.
• Yellow flowers in winter. Tubular yellow flowers appear through the coldest months, when little else in a dry garden is flowering, and honeyeaters visit them.
• Drought tolerant. Once established it lives on rainfall in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne gardens.
• A prune every few years. Left alone it stays low; a shaping cut every two to three years keeps it manicured.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 80cm apart in offset rows, one to two plants per square metre, and the mats meet within two seasons. On a bank or a verge it covers ground with almost no upkeep.

Low borders. A single row at 80cm along a driveway or a path makes a blue grey edge that stays under 30cm without trimming.

Dry and gravel gardens. It belongs with other low water natives in a mulched or gravel bed, where its drainage needs are met by default.

Growing Blue Horizon Emu Bush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade; full sun gives the tightest growth and the best colour. It is listed for South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, Sydney and southern New South Wales, which covers warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens. It has not yet been tested north of Sydney, and in Sydney it needs free draining soil. Humid subtropical gardens are not where it belongs.

Soil. Free draining soil is the first requirement. In drier inland climates it will take heavier soil, but anywhere with wet winters it must not sit in water. Raise the bed on clay.

Water and feed. Water as required for the first 8 to 13 weeks, then step back; overwatering kills more emu bushes than drought does. Mulch with a chunky mulch. A slow release native fertiliser in spring is optional.

Pruning. For a manicured look, prune to shape in autumn or spring every two to three years. Light tip pruning after flowering keeps the mat dense.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Blue Horizon Emu Bush as tube stock, in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Tubes are the economical way to plant a bank or a verge and establish quickly in warm, well drained soil. The 140mm and 200mm plants give cover along a border from the start. Plants travel well and settle within a few weeks; expect the stems to begin running by the end of the first growing season.

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 more groundcover plants
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More drought tolerant plants
• Australian native plants for dry gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 80cm apart for a dense groundcover, or 1m where you can wait an extra season. In a single row border, one plant per metre is enough.

Will it grow in Queensland or northern New South Wales?

Not recommended. It has not been tested north of Sydney, and humid summers with wet soil are the conditions that kill emu bushes.

Does it need pruning?

Not to survive. A shaping prune every two to three years in autumn or spring keeps it tidy and dense.