Eremophila arbuscula facts for kids

The Eremophila arbuscula is a special plant. It belongs to the figwort family and is found only in a small part of Queensland, Australia. This plant is a small tree with rough bark. It has long, soft, silvery-grey leaves. If you crush these leaves, they have a smell that isn't very nice.

What Does It Look Like?

The Eremophila arbuscula is a small tree that stands straight up. It can grow up to about 11 m (40 ft) tall. Its trunk has rough bark, but its branches are smooth. The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are usually 23–80 mm (0.9–3 in) long and 2.5–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. They are shaped like a line or a narrow oval. These leaves are soft, silvery-grey, and can bend easily. Remember, they have an unpleasant smell if you crush them!

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of this plant smell sweet. They grow alone or in small groups of up to five or more. They appear where the leaves join the stem. Each flower has a short stalk, about 3.5–6.5 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long.

The flowers have five blunt, egg-shaped parts called sepals. These sepals can be cream-coloured or purplish. They are covered with tiny hairs. There are also five petals, which are about 5.5–7.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. These petals join together at their bottom to form a tube. The outside of this petal tube is white and hairy. Inside, it has bright yellow or orange spots. The middle part of the tube is yellow inside. There are four stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. These stamens stick out a little bit from the end of the tube. After the flower, a dry, cone-shaped fruit grows. It is about 3.5–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long.

How It Got Its Name

This plant was first officially described in 2007 by a scientist named Robert Chinnock. He wrote about it in a book. The first plant specimen used to describe the species was found about 60 kilometres (40 mi) west of Quilpie. The second part of its scientific name, arbuscula, comes from a Latin word. It means "a small tree."

Where Does It Live?

The Eremophila arbuscula is only found in one specific area. It lives in the Grey Range, which is in the Warrego district of Queensland. It likes to grow on rocky hills in woodland areas.

Is It Endangered?

The Queensland Government has classified Eremophila arbuscula as a plant of "least concern." This means that, for now, there are enough of these plants, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.

Growing This Plant in Gardens

This eremophila can be a beautiful large bush in a garden. Even when it's young, its trunk can look like an old, twisted tree with rough bark. Its silvery-grey leaves and many sweet-smelling flowers are very pretty, especially in summer.

It can be a bit tricky to grow this plant from seeds or cuttings. Gardeners often graft it onto other plants called Myoporum species. This means they join a piece of the Eremophila arbuscula onto the root system of a Myoporum plant. This helps it grow better. This plant can grow in most places. It can also handle dry weather and is quite good at surviving frost.