If you’d love a shrub that looks like a Texas ranger but stays compact without pruning and blooms nearly year-round, consider blue bells emu, an Australian native that looks much like Texas ranger. Here’s how to plant and care for this look-alike shrub.
If you’ve lived in the desert southwest for any length of time, you’re almost certainly familiar with Texas ranger (Leucophyllum spp.), a ubiquitous native shrub that’s an extremely popular landscape plant. But these plants have a few drawbacks.
They get quite large (often 6′ to 8′ tall) and tend to outgrow their space. Consequently, they are commonly pruned badly, leaving them unhealthy and unattractive. While they’re beautiful in bloom, they flower sporadically in the summer, usually when humidity is high. Some summers, they only spend a few days in bloom.
Blue bells emu (Eremophila hygrophana) makes an excellent alternative to Texas ranger. Like Texas ranger, it’s an evergreen shrub with small gray-green leaves and tubular lavender flowers. Unlike Texas ranger, it blooms much of the year and stays small (3′ x 3′) without pruning.
Its genus name Eremophila means “desert-loving.” It’s native to the deserts of Australia and thrives in the desert southwest. It’s unfazed by blazing sun, poor soil, temperature extremes, and drought.
Blue bells emu is resistant to being eaten by rabbits. This is a concern in the desert southwest, but is a critical issue in Australia, which has a serious rabbit problem.
Why I Like This Plant
- Tubular purple flowers much of the year
- Fuzzy silver-green foliage
- Low water use, virtually maintenance-free
- No pruning or deadheading needed
- No thorns, low-litter, non-toxic
- Attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies
- Rabbit resistant
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a blue bells emu to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Blue bells emu should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. It thrives in desert heat and cold. It may experience some cold damage in extreme cold, but will survive down to 17℉.
Sun Exposure
Blue bells emu thrives in full sun, even the reflected sun off hot garden walls. It tolerates part shade but needs at least 6 hours of full sun to look its best.
Size and Growth Rate
Blue bells emu grows moderately fast and reaches its mature size of 2 to 3 feet tall and wide within a few years after planting.
Soil
Blue bells emu is not picky about soil as long as it’s well-drained. It will grow in sand, clay, or rocky soil, and tolerates desert soil alkalinity.
Other Location Considerations
Because it has no thorns, is non-toxic, and is nearly litter-free, it’s a good choice to plant near a pool, sidewalk, or anywhere it might come in contact with pets and people.
Since it stays small and doesn’t need pruning, it works well in containers.
Blue Bells Emu:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Blue bells emu |
| Scientific Name | Eremophila hygrophana |
| Origin | Western Australia |
| Plant Type | Evergreen shrub |
| USDA Zones | Zones 8 – 11 |
| Cold Hardy | To 17℉ |
| Flower Color | Purple |
| Flower Season | Winter, spring, summer |
| Mature Size | 2-3’ high x 2-3’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests/Diseases | Root rot if overwatered |
| Garden friendly | No thorns, non-toxic, litter-free |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any shrub in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Amending the soil is not recommended. Counterintuitively, backfilling with the same native soil you just dug up helps your plant develop a stronger root system.
When to Plant
The best time to plant blue bells emu is in the fall. This gives your shrub three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Blue Bells Emu
Whether you’ve recently planted a blue bells emu or have an existing one in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water New Plants
Once you’ve got your shrub in the ground, watering is your most immediate concern. Here is the recommended watering schedule for new shrubs planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 5 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
How to Water Established Plants
Blue bells emu needs little water once established. It’s generally recommended that you water once a week in the summer, once every two weeks in spring and fall, and once a month in the winter.
Note that blue bells emu does not like humidity, which is generally not a problem in the desert southwest. But it’s preferable not to water from above (such as using a sprinkler or hose nozzle).
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize these plants. These are tough desert natives that naturally grow in poor, rocky soil.
How to Prune
Blue bells emu is a compact, tidy plant that rarely needs pruning. You may occasionally want to remove a frost-damaged branch or lightly shape it, but that’s all that’s required.
Never remove more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. And don’t let your landscaper shear this plant — they don’t respond well to being harshly pruned.
Plant Lover Facts
Blue bells emu (Eremophila hygrophana) is sometimes called blue emu or just blue bells. The genus Eremophila is derived from the Greek words eremos (desert) and philos (loving), and means “desert loving.”
The Eremophila genus consists of approximately 200 species widely distributed in the arid regions of Australia. Multiple Eremophila spp. are used as traditional medicines by the indigenous people of Australia. Some species have been found to have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Have you grown this plant?
Was it a “hit” or a “miss” in your garden?
Please share your experience in the comments below!
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for 15 years.
