Eremophila eriocalyx facts for kids

Eremophila eriocalyx, also known as desert pride, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is special because it is endemic to Western Australia. This means it naturally grows only there! Desert pride is an upright shrub with grayish leaves. Its sepals are very hairy, and its petals can be white, yellow, pink, or even purple.

What Does Desert Pride Look Like?

Eremophila eriocalyx is an upright shrub. It can sometimes look a bit thin or "spindly." It usually grows to be about 0.7 and 2 m (2 and 7 ft) tall. Its branches are covered with soft white or yellowish hairs.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of the desert pride plant grow one after another along the branches. They are long and narrow, like a spear, with thick edges that curl under. Most leaves are about 15–32 mm (0.6–1 in) long and 1–4 mm (0.04–0.2 in) wide. They are also covered in soft, white hairs.

The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a hairy stalk that is usually 7–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long. There are five hairy green or reddish-purple sepals. These are usually 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long. The petals are 15–28 mm (0.6–1 in) long. They join together at the bottom to form a tube shape.

Petal Colors and Stamens

The petals can be cream, yellow, white, or even purple to pinkish-purple. The petal tube is mostly covered with tiny sticky hairs. But the inside of the tube is full of soft, woolly hairs. Inside the petal tube are four stamens. These are the parts of the flower that make pollen. They sometimes reach the end of the petal tube.

When Does it Bloom?

Desert pride flowers from August to October. After the flowers, oval-shaped fruits grow. These fruits have clear ridges and are smooth. They are about 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long.

Where Does Desert Pride Grow?

Desert pride is found all over Western Australia. You can see it along the coast between Geraldton and Kalbarri. It also grows further east, almost to the Plumridge Lakes. This plant can grow in many different types of soil. It often grows in areas with mulga woodland.

How is Desert Pride Used in Gardens?

This Eremophila plant is popular for gardens because of its pretty flowers. You might see yellow buds first. These appear between the woolly sepals. Then, they open into white flowers with a lemon or creamy color. Sometimes, you can find other flower colors too!

Growing Tips

You can grow new desert pride plants from cuttings. If you live in a humid place, it's better to graft it onto a Myoporum rootstock. This helps the plant grow stronger. Desert pride can grow in most soils, even though it might grow slower in clay. It likes full sun or a little shade. It's also good at handling dry weather and cold frosts. This plant can live for a long time in a garden.