Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’ Emu Bush

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly is a vigorous Australian native emu bush with a large, weeping habit, pale cream to pinky-mauve tubular flowers, and excellent value for dry-climate, habitat-focused gardens. This naturally occurring hybrid combines the resilience of both parent species, creating a tough, fast-growing shrub or small tree for gardeners who have space and want a plant with real presence.

This is not a small shrub for tight garden beds. Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ can become a substantial feature plant, hedge, windbreak, or informal screen, especially in open sunny positions where it has room to develop its graceful, arching form.

The flowers are large for an Eremophila, opening in soft cream, white, pale mauve, or pinky-mauve tones, often with delicate grey-mauve spotting inside the throat. Their tubular shape makes them especially valuable for nectar-feeding birds and pollinating insects.

Why Grow Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’?

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’ is a strong choice for larger gardens, dry landscapes, farm gardens, habitat plantings, and exposed positions where many softer shrubs struggle. It brings structure, movement, flowers, and wildlife value in one hardy plant.

It is especially useful for:

Large sunny native garden beds
Informal screens and tall hedges
Windbreak and shelter planting
Habitat gardens for birds and pollinators
Dry-climate and semi-arid gardens
Clay-tolerant native landscapes
Large feature planting where space allows
Low-maintenance gardens once established

Its weeping foliage gives it a softer look than many large screening shrubs, while the nectar-rich flowers bring life and activity into the garden.

Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ Flowers

The flowers of Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’ are large, tubular, and beautifully subtle. Buds are generally cream, opening to very pale pinky-mauve, cream, white, or soft mauve flowers with grey-mauve spotting inside the throat.

Flowering is generally strongest from winter to summer, with additional blooms possible when conditions are favourable. In warmer or well-watered gardens, plants may flower sporadically at other times of the year.

These flowers are not loud or garish. Their beauty is in their detail: soft colour, spotted throats, and a generous display against long, light green, weeping foliage.

Wildlife Value of Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’ is an excellent habitat plant for larger native gardens. Its nectar-rich flowers attract honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds, while the flowers also support a range of native pollinators.

This plant is especially valuable for gardens designed to attract native bees, including:

Blue-banded Bees
Teddy Bear Bees
Masked Bees
Other native bees and pollinating insects

The dense, arching growth also provides shelter and foraging structure for small birds. In larger habitat plantings, Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ can become both a food source and a protective refuge.

Best Position for Eremophila ‘Big Poly’

Plant Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’ in full sun to light shade. Full sun will encourage the best flowering and densest growth, while light shade is usually tolerated in hot climates.

Choose a position with:

Full sun for strongest flowering
Good airflow
Space for a large mature shrub or small tree
Well-drained soil where possible
Room for pruning access
Enough width for its natural weeping habit

This plant is best suited to open garden positions, rural gardens, habitat plantings, dry-climate borders, and larger suburban landscapes. It should not be squeezed into narrow beds or small courtyard spaces.

Soil and Water Requirements

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly is more adaptable than many Eremophila species and can tolerate a wider range of soil types, including heavier soils and clay, once established. Good drainage is still preferred, particularly in humid climates or where plants are young.

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ is drought hardy, but occasional deep watering during long dry periods will help maintain flowering, foliage quality, and overall vigour.

For best results:

Water well through establishment
Mulch lightly, keeping mulch clear of the stem
Avoid constant overwatering in humid conditions
Improve drainage in compacted or poorly aerated soils
Use a low-phosphorus native fertiliser if needed
Prune after flowering to maintain shape and reduce woodiness

This is a tough plant, but it will flower and perform better when grown with sensible establishment care.

Frost, Heat and Drought Tolerance

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly is well suited to harsh Australian conditions once established. It tolerates heat, dry periods, and a range of soils better than many more delicate flowering shrubs.

Drought tolerance: Excellent once established, with better flowering from occasional deep watering
Frost tolerance: Frost hardy once established, with registered notes indicating tolerance to around -8°C
Heat tolerance: Excellent
Soil tolerance: More clay-tolerant than many Eremophila species
Drainage needs: Prefers drainage but is adaptable once established

In very cold or wet gardens, plant it in the warmest, sunniest, best-drained position available.

Pruning Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada ‘Big Poly’

Pruning is important with Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ because it is naturally vigorous and can become woody with age. It responds well to moderate pruning and can be shaped into a hedge, screen, or more controlled feature shrub.

Prune after flowering to:

Maintain a denser habit
Reduce legginess and woodiness
Encourage fresh flowering growth
Control height and width
Shape it as a hedge or informal screen
Improve structure in exposed positions

Avoid letting young plants grow too tall and open before their first shaping prune. Early pruning helps create a stronger, fuller plant.

How Big Does Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ Grow?

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly is a large plant. In many gardens it may be maintained around 3–5m high and 3–4m wide with pruning, but registered cultivar information records potential growth up to around 7m high x 3m wide under favourable conditions.

This size is part of its value. Eremophila ‘Big Poly’ is ideal where a gardener needs a large, drought-hardy native shrub for structure, screening, shelter, or habitat value.

It is not suitable for small pots, tiny courtyards, narrow garden strips, or tight spaces where regular hard pruning would be needed just to keep it contained.

Garden Design Ideas for Eremophila ‘Big Poly’

The weeping foliage and pale tubular flowers of Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly make it useful as a soft structural plant in large native gardens. It combines well with other dry-climate shrubs and flowering perennials that appreciate sun, airflow, and low-water conditions.

Suitable planting companions include:

Other Eremophila species and cultivars
Mint Bush species
Dwarf forms of Melaleuca
Beaufortia
Lechenaultia
Chocolate Lilies
Native daisies and everlastings
Low-growing saltbush and bluebush
Other dry-climate flowering shrubs

Use it as a background shrub, shelter plant, informal screen, or habitat anchor, then layer smaller flowering plants around it for seasonal colour and pollinator value.

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.

Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly At a Glance

Botanical name: Eremophila bignoniiflora × polyclada Big Poly
Common name: Big Poly Emu Bush
Plant type: Large Australian native shrub or small tree
Mature height: Commonly maintained around 3–5m; may reach larger sizes in ideal conditions
Mature width: Around 3–4m, depending on pruning and conditions
Position: Full sun to light shade
Soil: Adaptable; tolerates heavier soils and clay once established
Flowers: Cream, white, pale mauve, or pinky-mauve tubular flowers with spotted throats
Flowering season: Mainly winter to summer, with sporadic flowering possible
Wildlife value: Attracts honeyeaters, Blue-banded Bees, Teddy Bear Bees, Masked Bees, native bees, and pollinating insects
Drought tolerance: Excellent once established
Frost tolerance: Frost hardy once established
Pot suitability: Not recommended for ordinary pots; best grown in the ground where it has space
Best uses: Large feature shrub, informal screen, tall hedge, windbreak, shelter planting, habitat garden

Shipping Note

Sylvaterre ships plants upright in custom-made cardboard boxes so they arrive healthy and ready to thrive, unlike nurseries that ship tubestock lying flat in standard Australia Post boxes.