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Eremophila ‘Beryls Blue’ is a compact shrub that will reach a height of 1.5 metres.
Eremophila ‘Beryls Blue’ arose in a Victorian garden and has been in cultivation since 1998. E. nivea is one of the parents whilst the other is reported to be either E. caerulea or E. densiflora subsp. pubiflora. Certainly the foliage is reminiscent of E. nivea whist the colour and size of flowers may reflect the blooms of E. caerulea.
Eremophila spp. mostly have simple and alternate leaves (sometimes opposite or whorled). In this cultivar, short linear leaves are to about 20 mm long by only 1 to 2 mm wide, green-grey in colour but with a silver-covering of hairs that makes the whole bush grey.
Eremophila spp. have 5-merous flowers with the 5 petals usually fused into a tube (tubulate to campanulate) with 5 petal-lobes (often described as 2-lipped with 3 upper lobes and 2 lower), occurring in small-numbered clusters per leaf axil. Flowers are often curved. In this cultivar, small flowers are lilac to blue, produced singularly in leaf axils, to about 20 mm long by 15 mm wide. What flowers lack in size they make up for in quantity. Flowering occurs from mid spring to summer.
Author’s notes: Eremophila ‘Beryls Blue’ is an outstanding shrub. The foliage shines like a beacon in the garden and the flowers add to the effect. Occasional tip pruning will improve foliage density.
Both foliage and flowers are attractive features. In our cold climate garden (near Armidale) ‘Beryls Blue’ has proved to be more durable than E. nivea.
Plant in a sunny spot on well-drained soil for best results.
All cultivars must be propagated from cuttings to maintain ‘true-to-type’ forms.
Eremophila can regenerate from the seedbank after fire with some plants able to reshoot from stem buds as well as sucker from basal areas.
Eremophila is a substantial Australian genus of around 220 species with, likely, many undescribed species. Most species are found in Western Australia and other Australian arid zones. They occur in all states except Tasmania. NSW currently has 21 species with some subspecies taxa.
See our 2023 study group article on this genus: https://resources.austplants.com.au/stories/why-do-eremophila-have-resin/
Eremophila – from Greek Erimos (ερημος) meaning “desert” and –philos (φίλος) referring to “friend” or “beloved” – referring to the mostly desert habitats of these plants.
‘Beryls Blue’ – likely named for the colour of the flowers.
Australian Native Plants Society Australia (ANPSA) – Eremophila ‘Beryls Blue’ profile page https://anpsa.org.au/eremophila/eremophila-beryls-blue
Eremophila Park – Eremophila profiles https://www.eremophilapark.com.au/discoveries/