Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Winter Blaze Emu Bush
Winter Blaze Emu Bush is a tough, rounded shrub about 3 to 4 feet tall with glossy green leaves. Red tubular flowers open through most of the year, heaviest in the cooler months, and hummingbirds love them. It takes full sun and reflected heat on low water once rooted. Use it as an accent, a low screen or a border along a hot wall.
Best for: hot south and west walls, borders and foundation beds, low screens, and hummingbird gardens.
It takes full sun and the reflected heat off a south or west wall. Leave room for its 4 to 5 foot width so it can keep its rounded shape.
Red tubular flowers open through most of the year and peak in the cooler months. Hummingbirds visit them when few other plants are blooming.
At 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, it makes a low screen or barrier along a walk, driveway or foundation. Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart for a row.
It needs soil that drains, and soil kept wet can rot the roots. It flowers on new growth, so prune lightly rather than shearing it hard.
- Low screen or border row4 ft apart
- Accent shrubs with room to spread5-6 ft apart
Water deeply and regularly through the first growing season so it roots well. After that it is drought tolerant, so let the soil dry between deep soaks.
Plant it in full sun. It takes reflected heat off walls and paving and also handles light shade.
Prune lightly in early spring if it needs shaping. It flowers on new growth, so skip heavy shearing.
It does not need fertilizer. Keep water low 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 Winter Blaze Emu Bush get?
It grows about 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide in a rounded, mounding shape. Allow room for that full size when you plant.
When does Winter Blaze bloom?
Red tubular flowers open through most of the year, heaviest in the cool seasons. That makes it one of the plants blooming in winter.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds love the red flowers. Plant it where you can see it from a window in winter.
Can it take reflected heat?
Yes. It handles full sun and reflected heat well and suits a south or west wall. It also tolerates light shade.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. Use 4 feet for a low screen or border, and the Spacing tab counts plants for you.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply and regularly through the first growing season so the roots grow. After that it is drought tolerant and needs low water.
How cold can it take?
It handles cold down to about 20°F. Cover it with frost cloth on a hard freeze night.
Does it need pruning?
It needs only light pruning when it needs shaping. Prune in early spring, and skip heavy shearing because it flowers on new growth.
What soil does it need?
It grows in most soils, including clay, sandy and rocky soil, as long as water drains. Avoid spots where water stands.
What is the difference between Winter Blaze and Outback Sunrise?
Winter Blaze is an upright shrub about 3 to 4 feet tall with red flowers most of the year. Outback Sunrise is a low groundcover with yellow flowers in late winter and spring.
Winter Blaze Emu Bush for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Winter Blaze Emu Bush is a compact Australian shrub with glossy leaves and red flowers that peak in the cool season. It is a hummingbird favorite that handles reflected heat. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: size, spacing, sun, water, cold, bloom 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.
Winter Blaze Emu Bush for winter color in Phoenix
Red tubular flowers open through most of the year and peak in the cool seasons. Hummingbirds love them, so it brings color and birds when much of the yard rests.
How big does Winter Blaze Emu Bush get?
It grows about 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide in a rounded mound. That size suits a border, foundation bed or low screen.
How far apart do you plant Winter Blaze Emu?
Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. Use the closer spacing for a low screen or border row. The Spacing tab counts plants for you.
Can Winter Blaze take reflected heat?
Yes. It handles full sun and reflected heat and suits a south or west wall. It also tolerates light shade.
How often do you water Winter Blaze Emu?
Water deeply and regularly through its first growing season. Once rooted it is drought tolerant and needs low water.
Is Winter Blaze Emu Bush cold hardy in the Valley?
It handles cold down to about 20°F. Cover it with frost cloth on a hard freeze night.
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.