Eremophila maculata x racemosa 'Fairy Floss'

Fairy Floss Emu Bush

Botanical Name: Eremophila maculata × racemosa ‘Fairy Floss’
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Origin: Australia (hybrid selection of Western Australian species)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub

Overview

Perfectly suited to Adelaide’s hot, dry Mediterranean climate, Eremophila ‘Fairy Floss’ is a compact, floriferous Australian native shrub valued for its masses of soft pink to lilac tubular flowers and exceptional drought tolerance. Flowering heavily from late winter through spring, and often again after rain or pruning, it provides reliable colour when many other plants are quiet. Its neat, rounded habit and fine grey-green foliage make it ideal for low hedging, mixed native borders and waterwise landscapes. Foliage is not fragrant but may develop subtle silvery or bluish tints during dry periods, enhancing its soft, pastel appearance. Tough, long-lived and low-maintenance, ‘Fairy Floss’ is a standout performer across South Australia.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 1–1.5 m H × 1–1.5 m W (compact, rounded shrub)
• Growth Rate: 20–40 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Fine-textured grey-green leaves; evergreen; foliage may develop silvery or blue-grey tints in heat or drought
• Flowers: Abundant soft pink to lilac tubular flowers with spotted throats, mainly late winter–spring, with repeat flowering after rain or pruning
  
• Fragrance: Not fragrant
• Seasonal Interest: Evergreen structure year-round with a strong winter–spring flowering display; foliage colour softens to silvery tones during dry periods
• Wildlife Value: Highly attractive to honeyeaters and native bees; excellent nectar source in cooler months
• Tolerance: Extremely drought-tolerant once established; excellent heat and wind tolerance; coastal-tolerant (second-line); light frost hardy; thrives in poor, rocky and sandy soils
• Planting Density: Informal hedge or screen: 1–1.2 m apart. Shrub borders or mass planting: 1–1.5 m apart
• Pet Friendly: Generally regarded as non-toxic

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun for best flowering and compact form; tolerates light part shade
• Soil: Free-draining sandy, loamy or gravelly soils; performs well on limestone; avoid heavy, waterlogged clay
• Water Needs: Establishment: 1–2 deep soaks/week for 8–10 weeks. Established: very low water needs; occasional deep watering in prolonged heat only
• Maintenance: Very low. Light prune after flowering to maintain shape and encourage repeat blooms; avoid phosphorus-rich fertilisers
• Lifespan: 15–25+ years in well-drained conditions
• Climate Zones: Ideal for Mediterranean and arid–temperate SA — Adelaide Plains, foothills, Barossa, Fleurieu, Yorke Peninsula
• Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline; tolerates mildly acidic soils with excellent drainage

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Low informal hedge or screening shrub for native gardens
• Feature shrub in waterwise and Mediterranean-style landscapes
• Mass planting for winter–spring colour and wildlife attraction
• Excellent companion for Westringia, Grevillea, Eremophila, Lomandra and Kangaroo Paws
• Ideal for hot, dry sites where other flowering shrubs struggle

Why You Will Love It

‘Fairy Floss’ combines soft pastel colour with extreme toughness. Flowering generously in winter and spring, thriving on neglect, and coping effortlessly with Adelaide heat and dry soils, it’s a perfect low-maintenance native shrub for modern, coastal and waterwise South Australian gardens.