Red Desert Emu Bush

Red Desert Emu Bush (Eremophila hybrid 'Red Desert') is a low native groundcover about 30cm tall that spreads to roughly a metre wide. Small grey-green leaves cover the stems, and warm coral-red flowers open from spring into summer. It is quick to spread, needs little more than an annual trim, and suits small gardens and big pots.

Why you'll love it

• Spreads quickly. It runs out along the ground to fill a patch about a metre across, so you get cover without a long wait.
• Colour from spring into summer. Scarlet buds line the stems like a row of tiny candles, then unfurl into coral-red flowers that keep coming into summer.
• Feeds pollinators and wildlife. The tubular flowers are a nectar source for native birds and insects.
• Frost and drought tolerant once established. It is a hybrid of Eremophila glabra and E. decipiens, two tough Australian species, and it copes with cold nights and dry spells.
• Low maintenance. One light trim after flowering and a feed with native fertiliser is about all it asks.

Where it works best

Groundcover and underplanting. Plant 80cm apart. Each plant spreads to about a metre, so at that spacing the mounds meet within a season or two and shade out most weeds. It also works as a skirt beneath taller shrubs.

Coastal gardens. It suits seaside planting, where the small grey-green leaves cope with sandy ground and sea breezes.

Large containers and small gardens. At 30cm tall it fits a front bed or a generous pot of free-draining mix, where the stems can spill over the rim.

Growing Red Desert Emu Bush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and low humidity suit it best. Its parents come from Australia's dry country, so it is most at home in Mediterranean, arid and semi-arid, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and it tolerates frost once established. In humid subtropical or tropical regions, choose the sunniest, best-drained spot and give it plenty of airflow, because sustained humidity is where emu bushes struggle.

Soil. Any well-drained soil will do. Mulch after planting to hold moisture and even out soil temperature while the young plant establishes, keeping the mulch clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Water regularly through the first summer while the roots settle, then leave it to the weather apart from an occasional deep soak in long dry spells. After pruning, apply a native slow release fertiliser.

Pruning. Give it a light prune once flowering has finished, to shape the plant and keep it dense. Stay within the leafy growth rather than cutting back into bare wood.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Red Desert Emu Bush as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives as a small, leafy plant with plenty of growth ahead. Tubes are the economical way to cover a large area, and the plants spread quickly once the roots are into warm soil. Expect the first real flowering in the season after planting.

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

• More Australian native plants
• Groundcovers for Australian gardens
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Native plants with red flowers for your garden

Common questions

How far will it spread?

About a metre wide and 30cm high. Plant 80cm apart for a continuous cover, or give it a full metre if you would like to see each mound as its own shape.

Will it cope with humidity?

It prefers sun and low humidity. In humid regions it can be shorter lived, so pick a sunny, free-draining site with good airflow.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes. Use a large container of free-draining mix in full sun, trim lightly after flowering and feed with a native slow release fertiliser.