Eremophila nivea Beryls Blue

Eremophila 'Beryl's Blue' is a small evergreen Australian bush that is extremely bright and well adapted to drought, but sensitive to cold temperatures. It forms a wide and very dense ball, which appears almost white due to its foliage being covered with a very light down. In late winter and spring, pretty pale lavender-blue flowers bloom, nestled in the foliage. Very unusual, it stands out from afar. Its low hardiness, as well as the sensitivity of its foliage to humid climates, make its cultivation in open ground uncertain away from the Mediterranean coast. Cultivation in large pots is possible, which allows the plant to be sheltered in winter and also protects it from frequent rains in the summer.

Eremophila Beryl's Blue is a bush from the Scrophulariaceae or Myoporaceae family depending on the classifications. It is a horticultural creation resulting from a sowing carried out in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is probably a hybrid between Eremophila nivea and E. caerulea. Eremophilas are bushes native to Australian regions with a mild winter climate but hot and arid summers. The variety Beryl's Blue is a drought-tolerant plant that cannot tolerate temperatures below -4° or -5°C ((24.8° or 23°F) . It quickly forms a wide bush about 1.30 m (4 ft) high and 1.50 m (5 ft) wide in open ground. In a pot, the plant will remain smaller. It is entirely covered with a light grey to white felting, made of intertwined hairs, which allows it to limit water loss very effectively. However, this characteristic favours the accumulation of moisture and the proliferation of fungi in humid conditions. The foliage remains in winter. The stems are upright, brittle, and adorned with narrow, linear leaves that are shorter than those of Eremophila nivea. They are closely spaced and arranged alternately on the branches. The main flowering takes place in March-April, and sometimes again, more modestly, at the end of summer. Small tubular flowers, 2 cm (0.8 in) long, open in lobes hidden in the axils of the leaves. They are pale lavender mauve on the outside. After pollination, small dry, woody fruits with an oval shape form, which are difficult to spot in the vegetation. Eremophila seeds are very difficult to germinate because breaking their dormancy requires very specific conditions.

Eremophila Beryl's Blue should thrive in gardens along the Mediterranean coast. It can be used in flower beds, rock gardens, and on slopes, but also as a low hedge to border a pathway, for example. Create a silver evergreen flower bed with staggered flowering by mixing the foliage and scents of lavenders (blue, white, pink), rosemary (creeping or erect), Atriplex, Teucrium fruticans Azureum, Leucophyllum frutescens, cistus, catmints, cotton lavenders, and shrubby wormwoods. Its association with Polygala myrtifolia and evergreen creeping ceanothus is also very successful.