Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise' (also called Emu Bush or 'Mingenew Gold') is an Australian native ground cover that's perfect for designers looking to specify low-water, high-impact plantings. This spreading shrub maxes out at just 1 foot tall but spreads up to 10 feet wide—think living carpet rather than traditional shrub. Originally from Australia's arid zones, it's your answer when clients want water-wise landscapes in the desert Southwest that don't sacrifice visual interest.
How big does Emu Bush actually get?
Here's what you need to spec: 1 foot high by 10 feet wide at maturity. That extreme width-to-height ratio makes it killer for slopes, berms, and erosion control, but you'll need to plan for that horizontal spread from day one. Don't squeeze it into tight spaces—this plant needs room to do its thing.
What are the design benefits of 'Outback Sunrise'?
The feathery, slender green foliage creates soft texture contrast against bolder plantings—think agaves, ornamental grasses, or architectural hardscaping. In spring, you get clusters of tubular yellow flowers that pollinators love. It's not a floral showstopper, but those blooms add seasonal interest and support local hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The moderate growth rate means your design intent stays intact without aggressive maintenance.
Where should landscape architects plant Emu Bush?
Sun exposure: Full sun is ideal (6+ hours daily), but it handles light shade and brutal reflected heat in USDA zones 8-11. Perfect for those hellstrip or parking lot island projects.
Soil requirements: Well-drained is non-negotiable. This plant evolved in arid Australia, so soggy soil kills the plant. Bonus: it's highly salt and alkaline-tolerant, making it viable for challenging urban or coastal sites where other ground covers fail.
Water needs: Drought-tolerant once established. After the first growing season, you're looking at minimal supplemental irrigation, a major selling point for LEED projects or water-budget-restricted clients.
How do you maintain Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise'?
Low-maintenance is the name of the game. Light pruning in late spring keeps the form tidy and encourages better flowering, but we're not talking high-touch hedge trimming here. Main consideration: make sure your irrigation design accounts for excellent drainage. Overwatering kills this plant faster than neglect.
What landscape design styles work with Emu Bush?
This is your versatile workhorse for:
• Xeriscape and water-wise designs where you need coverage without the water bill • Native and habitat gardens supporting pollinator corridors • Slope stabilization projects where the low, spreading habit prevents erosion • Contemporary desert-inspired landscapes for clients wanting that drought-tolerant aesthetic • Parking lot islands and medians where salt tolerance and heat resistance are must-haves
Why specify Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise' for your next project?
For designers balancing client expectations with environmental constraints, Emu Bush delivers: proven drought tolerance, minimal maintenance requirements, pollinator support, and distinctive texture that photographs well for your portfolio. It's particularly valuable in regions facing water restrictions or clients pursuing sustainability certifications. The wide, low form solves ground cover challenges while the Australian provenance adds narrative depth to your plant palette story.
Whether you're layering it into a diverse native planting scheme or featuring it as a signature ground plane element, 'Outback Sunrise' brings functionality and character to water-conscious landscape architecture.
FAMILY
Scrophulariaceae
MATURE HEIGHT
6 to 12 ft
GROWTH HABIT
Spreading, mounding
WATER REQUIREMENT
Drought Tolerant
HARDY TO
18°F
NATIVE REGION
Inland Australia
TYPE
Shrub
SOIL TYPE
Well-drained. Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise' is highly adaptable and not picky about soil type, as long as it has excellent drainage. It does quite well in sand, loam, chalk (alkaline soil), poor or rocky soils. In clay soils it does best if it is on a slope or mound so that it can drain freely.
MAINTENACE TIPS
This plant is highly drought-tolerant once established and requires minimal maintenance. Water new plants regularly during the establishment phase (first few weeks to months), then significantly reduce irrigation; established plants only require occasional, deep watering every 2-3 weeks, or less, depending on local climate and rainfall. Overwatering is the most common cause of problems, like root rot, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Fertilization is generally not necessary, as the plant thrives in nutrient-poor soils; an all-purpose, slow-release, low-phosphorus fertilizer for natives can be applied sparingly in the spring if needed. Apply chunky organic mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
ELEVATION
2 to 3 ft
MATURE WIDTH
LEAF SHAPE
The leaves of the Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise' are simple, evergreen, and typically described as narrow or lance-shaped (lanceolate). They are arranged alternately on the stem and are a bright or deep green color. The foliage is generally considered to be smooth (glabrous), though the species is highly variable and most forms have small, raised glands.
FLOWER COLOR
Yellow
FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS
Interesting tubular, golden-yellow flowers that bloom in masses from late winter through spring and into summer. The flowers are adapted for bird pollination, with four petal lobes at the top and one lower lip that curls downward, and the stamens extend beyond the corolla tube. These vibrant blooms contrast beautifully with the plant's evergreen, deep green to silver-gray, lance-shaped foliage.
FRUIT/SEED
The fruit of Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise' is a small, oval to almost spherical drupe, or sometimes a dry or somewhat fleshy fruit, typically dark brown when ripe. These fruits are glabrous (hairless) and measure about 4-9 mm in diameter. Each fruit consists of four chambers (although this can vary) and may contain a few to up to twelve seeds, though typically fewer viable seeds are found in practice. The seeds themselves are elongated, approximately 2-6 mm long, and covered with a thin, skin-like testa. The fruits are indehiscent and may lie dormant in the ground for years, with germination often stimulated by environmental disturbances such as fire or heavy rainfall, or even passing through the digestive tract of an Emu, which aids in seed dispersal. Due to the seed dormancy mechanisms and the hard, impervious woody fruit, propagation is often more reliably achieved through vegetative cuttings.
SUN EXPOSURE
Full Sun
POLLINATORS
Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Nectar-feeding birds are attracted to the flowers. Rabbits tend to avoid the plant.
PRUNING TIPS
Eremophila glabra 'Outback Sunrise' naturally maintains a tidy, sprawling form and requires little to no pruning for shape or health. If any pruning is desired, perform only light shaping after it has finished blooming in late spring or early summer to avoid removing the current year's flowers. Focus on removing any dead or damaged branches, or shoots that grow outside the desired area, by cutting them back to a main stem. Avoid heavy pruning into old, woody growth, as the plant does not respond well to it. Instead of pruning to control the size, it's recommended to limit supplemental water once the plant is established.
