Grafted Eremophila Care

Soil types

  1. Tarrawood’s Eremophilas are grafted onto Myoporum rootstock, which is an incredibly tough and versatile plant, able to grow in many extreme conditions.
  2. Differing soils types from poorly drained clay to sand are suitable for these plants because of the Myoporum.

Position

  1. Eremophilas are best planted where they get as much full sun as possible – many of them grow naturally in desert conditions, so they love plenty of heat and tolerate dryness.
  2. Air movement around them is important and they dislike being too overgrown by nearby plants.

Frost

Many Eremophilas are frost hardy as they come from the dry inland where light frosts are common. Eremophila nivea will handle at least minus 7 degrees C.  One thing many of them hate is extended warm or cool misty humid still conditions.

Watering

  1. Like all plants, they need good watering to get them established, usually for the first two or three weeks.
  2. They resent overhead watering and wet foliage so it is best to make a watering depression around the plant and fill this as required. .
  3. They are desert lovers and will survive well on good dews, so little or no extra water is needed once established.

Maintenance

  1. Cut any shoot off the stem if it is below the graft union. This will be from the rootstock, and if allowed to grow will compromise the vigour of the Eremophila.
  2. Tip prune whenever needed to reduce the size of the bush. They are vigorous growers and will re-shoot healthy new growth after any hard pruning.
  3. Insect attack is rare but “Confidor” usually fixes any problems.
  4. Although grafted Eremophilas grow happily in most of eastern Australia, excessive humidity and poor air movement around the plants can cause some mould growth. Pruning out affected parts or spraying with a copper based fungicide such as “Kocide” is best.

Fertilizing

Any low Phosphorus (P < 2%) slow release fertilizer is suitable if your garden soil is known to be deficient in plant nutrients.

Mulching

Eremophilas are desert plants therefore prefer hard mulches such as sand, pebbles/stones, pine bark or Eucalypt mulch. Soft mulches such as cereal hays etc are not recommended.

Enjoying your plants

They love having their flowers picked, especially the Eremophila nivea. A large quantity of this Eremophila used to be exported into Asia for cut flowers and foliage.