GV Gardeners: Emus are arriving in the garden

Not strange birds, but a family of desert-adapted shrubs that display their flowers throughout winter is Eremophila, commonly called emus. These bushes now are getting ready to bloom in the winter desert.

Native to semi-arid and arid regions of Australia, the shrub was originally called emu because of an erroneous belief that its fruits were devoured by the large, flightless bird. This was later found to be untrue, but the name remained.

It has also been called “poverty bush,” which refers to the ability of many varieties to survive in very dry, inhospitable environments. The botanical name Eremophila appropriately means “desert loving.”

Members of the emu family are small- to medium-sized shrubs that bloom from December to April.

The flowers are tubular-shaped, colorful, and sometimes spotted. These evergreen bushes are very drought-tolerant, reportedly capable of surviving up to two years without rainfall.

Emus are at their best in open, sunny locations in alkaline soil, with good air circulation.

Cold hardy to the mid-20s or lower, most varieties will tolerate medium frosts. They are also able to take extreme reflected heat, like along a hot masonry wall.

These shrubs require no fertilizer.

Water established plants every two to three weeks in winter while they are actively growing and blooming. In summer, once a month supplemental watering is sufficient.

Emu shrubs set bloom on new tip growth, so should be trimmed in summer. Pruning back by about one-third after flowering will reduce size and promote a bushier growth habit. They have a rather complicated branching habit which makes it a challenge to prune them well. Start by removing branches that want to grow horizontally or toward the ground.

Disease or pests do not appear to be a problem for emu bushes in the Southwest. Because of their bright colors, tubular design and availability, the flowers are a winter favorite of hummingbirds. There are three emu varieties at the Arid Garden, located just off Camino Encanto here in Green Valley.

The hybrid “Pink Beauty” (Eremophila laanii) is not yet in bloom at the garden. It is a medium-size shrub producing pinkish-fuschia flowers at the ends of arching branches. It usually blooms a bit later than the other emus.

Two years ago, a unique emu hybrid with small blue flowers that appear in mid-summer was planted. It appears to be semi-drought deciduous because its tiny, sparse leaves nearly disappear just prior to the arrival of monsoon rains. So far it has grown only about 30 inches high, and flowers have been spectacular.

The “spotted emu bush” (E. maculata) is becoming full of yellow tubular flowers with pale spotted throats. This is probably the most common species both in the wild and in cultivation. Flowers of the spotted emu can vary from pink to red to purplish-red to yellow and even orange. The mature specimen at the Arid Garden is large and rangy, despite having a large old eucalyptus tree fall right into its middle a couple of years ago. It has rebounded and continues its profuse blooming each winter.

Perhaps the most popular emu bush is a hybrid of the spotted emu, called “Valentine.”

A small evergreen shrub, it usually begins blooming in January, but has already set many buds this year. It will become loaded with deep magenta flowers that remain on the shrub for weeks if not months. The small green leaves take on a reddish cast with winter chill, adding even more color to this little bush.

With its compact size and moderate growth rate, the “Valentine” emu makes a perfect container plant.

There are two small ones at the Arid Garden that have not been trimmed at all. These began showing off their bright buds in mid-December. At peak bloom in mid-February, this variety makes a show-stopping Valentine Day gift, too.

So if you are looking for more winter bloom, one of these emus may work right into your landscape. It will serve to remind that not all emus are strange, flightless birds from Australia!

Mary Kidnocker is a Master Gardener who writes frequently about the subject from a local perspective. Her columns are featured each Sunday. She is currently president of the Green Valley Gardeners.