Emu Bush – Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella
At a Glance
Botanical name: Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella
Common name: Emu Bush
Height: 20 cm–1 m
Width: 0.5–3 m
Habit: Low spreading to sprawling shrub
Flowers: Green to yellow-green
Flowering: July–November
Position: Full sun to filtered shade
Soil: Sand, loam, clay and sandy-clay
Water: Low once established
Drought: Tolerant once established
Frost: Subspecies-specific tolerance not well documented
Pots: Suitable for large containers with good drainage
Natural range: Western Australia only
Conservation: Endangered in WA and nationally under the EPBC Act
Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella is a rare Western Australian member of the highly variable Eremophila glabra group. It forms a low, spreading to sprawling shrub, generally 20 cm to 1 metre high and 0.5–3 metres wide, with dark grey-green foliage and profuse green to yellow-green tubular flowers.
The lime-green flowers are one of its most striking features and give this plant a very different appearance from the red, orange and yellow-flowered forms more commonly associated with Eremophila glabra. Flowering is strongest from July to November, providing winter and spring interest when many other dry-climate shrubs are between flowering periods.
This subspecies is also horticulturally interesting because its natural habitat differs from that of many Eremophilas. In the wild it grows in sandy-clay soils in seasonally winter-wet depressions, showing that it is not restricted to extremely dry, sharply drained desert soils. It is nevertheless drought tolerant once established and adapts to sand, loam and clay.
Its combination of rarity, unusual flower colour, manageable size and toughness makes it an excellent collector’s plant as well as a practical shrub for native gardens, verges, mixed Eremophila plantings and larger containers.
Why Grow Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella?
• Endangered Western Australian subspecies with a very restricted natural distribution.
• Unusual lime-green to yellow-green tubular flowers.
• Compact, spreading habit suitable for smaller gardens.
• Flowers from winter through spring.
• Adaptable to sand, loam and clay soils.
• Drought tolerant once established.
• Naturally occurs in winter-wet depressions, making it an interesting Eremophila for gardeners with seasonally moist soils.
• Responds well to pruning and can be maintained as a compact shrub.
• An excellent plant for collectors of uncommon and threatened Australian natives.
Flowers & Foliage
Flowers
The tubular flowers are green to yellow-green, generally around 25–30 mm long, and appear mainly from July to November.
Their soft lime colouring is particularly attractive against the green foliage and makes this subspecies immediately different from many other Eremophila glabra forms.
Foliage
Leaves are green and mature to a largely smooth appearance, generally around 15–22 mm long and 3–5 mm wide.
Young leaves have a distinctive band of fine star-shaped hairs along their margins. These hairs become much less obvious as the foliage matures and are one of the botanical features that distinguish subsp. chlorella from related forms.
Wildlife Value
The flowers are pollinated by both birds and insects, making this subspecies a useful addition to a mixed habitat garden.
Its winter and spring flowering period helps extend the availability of nectar through the cooler part of the year, particularly when planted with Eremophilas and other native shrubs that flower at different times.
As with all habitat planting, the strongest wildlife value comes from combining plants of different heights, densities and flowering seasons rather than relying on a single shrub.
Best Position
Grow in full sun to filtered shade.
Full sun will generally produce denser growth and stronger flowering, while filtered shade can be useful in very hot or exposed gardens.
Its relatively low, spreading growth makes it suitable for the front or middle of a native border, between larger Eremophilas, on verges or as part of a low habitat planting.
Soil & Water
Soil
Adaptable to:
• Sand
• Sandy loam
• Loam
• Clay
• Sandy-clay soils
Its natural populations occur in winter-wet depressions, so this is one Eremophila that should not automatically be treated as requiring extremely dry soil year-round.
Good soil structure and aeration are still important in cultivation. Avoid stagnant, permanently waterlogged conditions.
Water
Water regularly while establishing.
Once established, Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella is drought tolerant and generally requires little supplementary water, although occasional deep watering during prolonged dry periods will maintain better growth and flowering.
Frost, Heat & Drought Tolerance
Drought
Drought tolerant once established.
Heat
Well suited to warm Australian conditions once established, particularly where the root system is allowed to develop deeply.
Frost
A reliable subspecies-specific frost rating is not well documented. In areas with severe frost, protect young plants until established and avoid placing them in exposed frost hollows.
Pruning
Light pruning after flowering helps maintain a dense, compact shape and prevents older plants becoming open or sprawling.
Tip-pruning young plants encourages branching and is preferable to waiting until the shrub has become large and then pruning heavily.
Pot Suitability
The relatively compact habit makes Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella suitable for large pots and containers, particularly for collectors who want to keep rare Eremophilas close to the house or in a protected display area.
Use a free-draining native potting mix and choose a container large enough to accommodate its spreading growth. Avoid leaving pots permanently standing in water.
Garden Design Ideas
Use Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella as:
• A feature plant in a rare and endangered native collection.
• A low shrub in mixed Eremophila plantings.
• A winter and spring flowering plant for habitat gardens.
• A spreading shrub along verges and broad garden borders.
• A container specimen for collectors.
• A contrasting green-flowered companion to red, orange, pink and yellow Eremophilas.
• A transition plant between very dry garden areas and sections that receive more winter moisture.
Its lime-green flowers combine especially well with purple, blue, pink and deep red-flowered native plants.
Natural Range
Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella is endemic to Western Australia.
It is known from a small number of widely separated populations extending approximately from Cannington and Kenwick in the Perth area north to the Eneabba region.
Natural populations occur within the:
• Swan Coastal Plain
• Jarrah Forest
• Geraldton Sandplains
Recorded local government areas include Gingin, Victoria Plains, Carnamah, the City of Canning and Gosnells.
It grows naturally in sandy-clay soils in winter-wet depressions, often within vegetation associated with seasonal wetlands and low-lying areas.
Conservation Status
Eremophila glabra subsp. chlorella is Endangered.
Western Australia
Endangered – Threatened Flora
Australia
Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
The subspecies has a highly fragmented natural distribution, with wild populations threatened by factors including habitat clearing, road and rail maintenance, weeds, grazing, altered fire regimes, changes to drainage and hydrology, salinity and poor recruitment.
Its endangered status makes cultivated plants particularly valuable for education and awareness, although nursery cultivation should never be regarded as a substitute for protection of wild populations and their habitat.
Sylvaterre Eremophila Range
Sylvaterre Native Nursery grows the largest and most diverse collection of Eremophila plants on the east coast of Australia, with more than 50 different species and forms available at different times of the year. From rare collector’s plants to hardy garden performers, our Eremophila range is ideal for drought-tolerant, bird-attracting, and habitat-focused native gardens.
Shipping Note
At Sylvaterre Native Nursery, every plant is treated with care and respect. Unlike many online nurseries that ship tubestock lying flat — often stacked on top of each other in standard Australia Post boxes — all Sylvaterre plants are shipped upright in custom-made cardboard plant boxes. This helps ensure they arrive healthy, happy, and ready to thrive in your garden or pots. See our shipping cartons in the image gallery.
