Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Grey Horizons Emu Bush
Grey Horizons Emu Bush is a low Australian groundcover that stays about a foot tall and spreads 4 to 6 feet wide. Its narrow leaves are covered in fine hairs, which gives the whole mat a soft silver-gray color all year. Small pale yellow flowers with an orange blush tuck into the leaves from winter into spring. It grows in full sun on low water once rooted, and it fills a bed, a border edge or the space between rocks.
Best for: low groundcover in sunny beds, silver contrast at the front of a border, and filling between boulders or spilling over low walls.
Plant a few about 4 to 5 feet apart and they spread into one low mat about a foot tall. The gray leaves stay on all year and cover bare ground between other plants.
Its silver-gray leaves set off green shrubs, agaves and red or orange flowers behind it. Give each plant 4 to 6 feet of width so it can spread without being sheared back.
It works as a filler between boulders and in planter beds, and its stems can spill over the edge of a low wall. Pick a sunny spot where water drains away.
Soil that stays wet can rot the roots, so avoid low spots where water stands and keep drip runs short. Plant it in full sun or light shade, not under dense trees.
- Quick fill groundcover4 ft apart
- Standard groundcover bed5 ft apart
Water deeply and regularly through the first growing season so the roots spread. After that, let the soil dry between deep soakings, since soil kept wet can rot the roots.
Plant it in full sun or light shade. Pick an open spot rather than one under dense trees.
It does not need regular pruning. If it needs shaping, trim it lightly after the flowers fade in spring.
Emu bushes do not need fertilizer in desert soil. Keep the water low once it is rooted.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Grey Horizons Emu Bush get?
It stays low, about 8 to 12 inches tall, and spreads 4 to 6 feet wide. Plan for that width when you plant so it can spread without being cut back.
How far apart should I plant it?
For a solid groundcover, plant about 4 to 5 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab counts how many plants you need for your bed.
When does it bloom, and what color are the flowers?
Small tube-shaped flowers open from winter into spring. They are pale yellow with an orange blush and sit tucked into the gray leaves, so the leaves are the main show.
Does it need full sun?
It grows in full sun or light shade. Pick an open, sunny spot rather than one under dense trees.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply and regularly through the first growing season so the roots spread. After that it needs little water, so let the soil dry between deep soakings.
How cold can it take?
It handles frost down to about 20°F. On a night forecast colder than that, cover it with frost cloth.
Does it need pruning?
It does not need regular pruning. If it needs shaping, give it a light trim after the spring flowers fade.
What soil does it need?
It needs soil that drains well and handles alkaline and clay soil if water drains away. Soil kept wet can rot the roots, so avoid spots where water stands.
Is Grey Horizons the same as Blue Horizon?
Yes. It is the same plant, sold as Blue Horizon in Australia and as Grey Horizon in the United States.
What is the difference between Grey Horizons and Outback Sunrise Emu Bush?
Both are low emu bush groundcovers. Grey Horizons has silver-gray leaves and spreads 4 to 6 feet, while Outback Sunrise has green leaves, brighter yellow spring flowers and spreads 6 to 10 feet.
Grey Horizons Emu Bush for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Grey Horizons Emu Bush is a low Australian groundcover with silver-gray leaves and pale yellow flowers from winter into spring. It stays about a foot tall and spreads 4 to 6 feet. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, including size, spacing, sun, water, cold and pruning.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
A silver-gray groundcover for Phoenix yards
Grey Horizons Emu Bush stays about a foot tall and spreads 4 to 6 feet. Its hairy leaves give it a silver-gray color all year, which stands out next to green shrubs and agaves.
How far apart do you plant Grey Horizons Emu Bush?
Plant about 4 to 5 feet apart, center to center, for a solid groundcover. The Spacing tab counts plants for your bed.
When does Grey Horizons bloom?
Pale yellow flowers with an orange blush open from winter into spring. They sit tucked into the leaves, so the gray foliage is the main color.
How often do you water Grey Horizons Emu Bush?
Water deeply and regularly through the first growing season. Once rooted it needs little water, so let the soil dry between soakings.
Is Grey Horizons Emu Bush cold hardy in the Valley?
It handles frost down to about 20°F. Cover it with frost cloth on a night forecast colder than that.
Grey Horizons vs Outback Sunrise Emu Bush
Both are low emu bush groundcovers. Grey Horizons has silver-gray leaves and a 4 to 6 foot spread. Outback Sunrise has green leaves, brighter yellow flowers and a wider spread.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.