Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Outback Sunrise Emu Bush
Outback Sunrise Emu Bush is a low, fast groundcover that spreads about a foot tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Masses of tubular yellow flowers cover it from late winter through spring. It takes full sun and reflected heat, stays green all year, and gets by on little water once rooted. Use it to cover a slope, a bank or a large bare area with one plant.
Best for: slopes and banks, large bare areas, and roadside or parkway strips in full sun and reflected heat.
It grows quickly into a low mat about a foot tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Plant about 8 to 12 feet apart on a slope or bank and let the plants knit together.
A single plant spreads wide, so a few fill a big open area. It has proven itself in roadway plantings on the edge of Phoenix and thrives in extreme heat.
It takes full sun and the reflected heat off walls, driveways and streets. A south or west strip that bakes in summer suits it.
Soil that stays wet can rot the roots quickly, so skip low spots and heavy watering. It spreads 6 to 10 feet, so it outgrows a small bed or narrow strip.
- Groundcover on a slope or bank8 ft apart
- Loose cover for a large area10-12 ft apart
Water regularly through the first growing season so it roots well. After that, give it a deep soak now and then and let the soil dry between waterings. Soil kept wet can rot it.
Plant it in full sun. It takes reflected heat off walls and paving and also does well in light shade.
It needs little or no pruning. Let it keep its natural low, spreading shape.
It does not need fertilizer. Keep watering light once it is established.
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 Outback Sunrise Emu Bush get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads 6 to 10 feet wide. Give each plant plenty of room, because it is a wide groundcover rather than an upright shrub.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast and spreads quickly once it is rooted. Give it room from the start so it does not crowd nearby plants.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 8 to 12 feet apart, center to center. Use the closer spacing on a slope you want covered sooner, and the Spacing tab counts plants for you.
Can it take reflected heat?
Yes. It takes full sun and reflected heat and thrives in extreme Phoenix heat. It also does well in light shade.
When does it bloom?
Masses of tubular yellow flowers cover it from late winter through spring. The rest of the year it is a low green mat.
How often should I water it?
Water regularly while it gets rooted, then cut back to deep soaks now and then. It is very drought tolerant once established and looks fuller with occasional water.
Is it good for erosion control on a slope?
Yes. It is used on banks and slopes as a groundcover, and its low, spreading mat covers bare soil quickly.
Does it need pruning?
It needs little or no pruning. Let it keep its natural low, spreading shape.
How cold can it take?
It handles cold down to about 10 to 15°F and stays evergreen through the Valley winter, so it needs no frost cover here.
What soil does it need?
It grows in most soils, including clay, salty and alkaline soil, as long as water drains. Soil that stays wet can rot the roots, so avoid low spots.
Is Outback Sunrise the same as Eremophila prostrata?
It is sold under both names. Its accepted name is Eremophila glabra 'Mingenew Gold', and the trade name is Outback Sunrise.
Outback Sunrise Emu Bush for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Outback Sunrise Emu Bush is an Australian groundcover that spreads low and wide and blooms yellow in late winter and spring. It handles the Valley's heat well. Below is what to expect: size, spacing, sun and reflected heat, water, cold, pruning and soil.
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.
Outback Sunrise Emu Bush as a groundcover in Phoenix
It grows fast into a low mat about a foot tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. It thrives in extreme Phoenix heat and has proven itself in roadway plantings.
How far apart do you plant Outback Sunrise Emu?
Plant about 8 to 12 feet apart, center to center. Use the closer spacing on a slope you want covered sooner. The Spacing tab counts plants for you.
Does Outback Sunrise take reflected heat?
Yes. It takes full sun and reflected heat, and it also does well in light shade. A hot south or west strip suits it.
How often do you water Outback Sunrise Emu?
Water regularly while it roots, then only now and then. It is very drought tolerant once established, and soil kept wet can rot it.
When does Outback Sunrise Emu bloom?
Masses of tubular yellow flowers cover it from late winter through spring.
Is Outback Sunrise Emu good for slopes?
Yes. It is used on banks and slopes as a groundcover. Its low, wide mat covers bare soil quickly.
Outback Sunrise vs Winter Blaze Emu Bush
Outback Sunrise is a low groundcover with yellow spring flowers. Winter Blaze is an upright shrub about 3 to 4 feet tall with red flowers through much of the year.
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.