Hardiness zones
Sunset 8, 9, 14-24
USDA 9-11 (arid and semi arid regions are best)
Landscape Use: Informal accent, large informal hedge plant, screening plant, hummingbird gardens
Form & Character: Evergreen perennial, a sprawling medium to large landscape shrub with a loose informal appearance
Growth Habit: Slow to grow after transplanting into the landscape. Once established, moderate to 5' to 10' in height with somewhat greater spread. Sparse to later full.
Foliage/Texture: Alternate arrangement, lanceolate, light to gray green leaves to 2", sessile, medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Auxiliary and tubular on short curved peduncle which holds 1" long flowers upright, profuse, reddish. Fruit inconspicuous.
Seasonal Color: Colorful flowers in late winter and early spring.
Temperature: Hardy to 23oF
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Extremely salt and alkaline tolerant, needs good drainage.
Watering: Tolerates some aridity.
Pruning: Shear lightly in summer or winter only if needed; otherwise mostly leave alone and control growth by regulating irrigation rates.
Propagation: Semi hardwood cuttings root easily
Disease and pests: None
Additional comments: Eremophila maculata is one of 214 known Eremophila species, all endemic to Australia and many of which have great landscaping potential in the Phoenix area. Eremophila maculata is a large and sprawling, great for large spaces or as a background plant. It consists of two varieties - maculata and brevifolia. The most obvious difference between these varieties is the foliage, with the variety brevifolia having much shorter leaves than the variety maculata. The flowers attract hummingbirds.
Other Eremophila
found in Phoenix landscapes include:
Eremophila decipiens
Eremophila divaricata
Eremophila glabra ‘Murchinson River’ (rather poorly adapted to the Phoenix area)
Eremophila laanii 'Pink Beauty'
Eremophila maculata
'Outback Sunshine'
Eremophila maculata 'Winter Gold'
Eremophila maculata 'Valentine'
Eremophila pachyphylla (syn. Eremophila psilocalyx)
Eremophila polyclada x divaricata 'Summertime Blue'
Eremophila racemosa
