Eremophila spuria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila spuria |
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| Eremophila spuria leaves and flowers | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
spuria
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Eremophila spuria is a unique flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is special because it is endemic to Western Australia, meaning it naturally grows only in that part of the world. It's an upright, open shrub with thin leaves and beautiful flowers that can be blue, lilac, purple, or white. You can find this plant quite often across Western Australia.
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What Does Eremophila spuria Look Like?
Eremophila spuria is an open shrub that usually grows to be about 0.6 to 2 m (2 to 7 ft) tall. Its branches and leaves are smooth and can feel a bit sticky, especially when they are young. This stickiness comes from a natural resin the plant produces.
The leaves are flat and long, typically measuring 21–48 mm (0.8–2 in) in length and 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) in width. They might have a few small, scattered teeth along their edges.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers of Eremophila spuria grow either by themselves or in small groups of up to four. They appear where the leaves meet the stem, on smooth stalks that are about 12–24 mm (0.5–0.9 in) long.
Each flower has five yellow-green or brownish sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are usually 10–14.5 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long. They often have tiny glandular hairs or spots of brown resin.
The petals are 18.5–26 mm (0.7–1 in) long and are joined together at the bottom to form a tube shape. This petal tube can be white, lilac, blue, or purple, and it often has lines of yellow-brown spots inside. The outside of the petal tube and its tips are usually hairy, while the inside of the tube is filled with soft, woolly hairs. Inside the petal tube, there are four stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
Eremophila spuria flowers bloom between March and October. After the flowers, the plant produces dry, woody, oval-shaped fruits that are about 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.
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Where Does Eremophila spuria Grow?
Eremophila spuria is found in sandy soils, and sometimes clay soils, across a wide area of Western Australia. You can spot it between the Murchison settlement, Carnarvon, and Wiluna. It grows in several different natural areas, including the Carnarvon, Gascoyne, Murchison, and Yalgoo regions.
How Can We Grow Eremophila spuria?
This plant is a fast-growing shrub, though it sometimes doesn't live for a very long time. Its delicate, light-colored flowers look really nice against its dark-green leaves.
If you want to grow it, you can start new plants by grafting them onto Myoporum rootstock. It grows best in soil that drains water well and in a sunny spot. It only needs water occasionally during long dry periods. However, be careful, as a heavy frost can damage it.
