Scaevola aemula - Sydney Wildflower Nursery (2024)

FAQs

Does Scaevola come back every year? ›

It can be treated like a fast-growing summer annual in many parts of the country but can also be grown as a perennial in warm climates (like hardiness zones 10-11). Scaevola makes an excellent addition as an annual shrub or groundcover for xeriscape and low-water gardens.

Scaevola is best grown in full sun to part shade and does well in hot, dry summers. It prefers medium, well-drained soil that is kept evenly moist but not wet.

It attracts butterfies, bees and hummingbirds.

Scaevola aemula

This heat- and drought-tolerant plant is an evergreen perennial, although it is often grown as an annual. It has spoon-shaped leaves and fan-shaped bluish flowers.

Note: Scaevolas are not grown for longevity, but rather for the intense pleasure they can supply in containers. In ideal growing conditions they survive between 18 months and two years before they have to be replaced with fresh plants.

Special attributes: Drought and heat tolerant once established. Flowers are self-cleaning, making deadheading unnecessary. Attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinating insects.

Scaevola Aemula prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly.

Place scaevola in a location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day. Use a commercial potting mix if you are growing scaevola in containers. Water the plants when the surface of the soil begins to dry.

Scaevola is a wonderful plant for hot, dry southern summers. It wants to have full sun, but will tolerate some shade. It insists on excellent drainage. Soggy soil will result in rapid decline and death.

My rabbits also seem to like petunias, scaevola, verbena and occasionally rudbeckia and dusty miller.

What is the number one flower that attracts hummingbirds? ›

Honeysuckle. Also a tubular flower, honeysuckle is a hummingbird magnet for its sweet nectar, as the name of this vining bloom suggests. "Hummingbirds adore these open-mouthed florals and are even more attracted to their bright red-toned petals, which flower on and off throughout the year," says Poole.

This shrub is now considered to be somewhat invasive in Florida and some of the Caribbean islands because of its demonstrated ability to escape plantings and overwhelm native plants. Synonymous with Scaevola sericea and Lobelia taccada.

The Fairy Fan-Flower, Scaevola aemula, is a breath of fresh air for parents. It's like a green light for worry-free plant parenting. This bloom is not just a pretty face; it's non-toxic, making it a safe bet for homes bustling with the pitter-patter of tiny feet.

Scaevola aemula is an Australian native, a tender perennial grown as an annual in our temperate climate. The common name is fan flower or, even more imaginatively, fairy fan flower.

Temperature and Humidity

Temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit will cause flowering to slow or stop. Temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees yield the happiest plants with compact growth, but hot temperatures are also well tolerated.

Lots of soft stemmed plants will form roots easily when the cuttings, taken in the usual way, are suspended in a glass or small jar of water, and placed on a window sill in good light, but not direct sunlight. Scaevola, Brachyscome, Myoporum and Hibbertia all lend themselves to this method.