Eremophila

15 years ago

Hello.

About 5 years ago I planted a grafted specimen of my Eremophila Mcmillaniana (or Mcmillan) and it's now about 2 to 2.5 metres tall, healthy and currently putting out it's delicate pink flowers. My question is: About two years ago I took a dozen or more cuttings and after a number of attempts finally managed to strike 2 - 1 still rather small, the other now about 8 inchs tall. Both look quite healthy but are very slow to put on growth. I purchased the original plant at a favourite natives nursery in Sydney and am growing it near Tweed Heads, Northern Rivers district, NSW - I've never seen it in any natives nursery since, but I keep looking. My question is, has anybody out there grown/propagated this beautiful bush-cum-straggly small tree? Will my cuttings survive as ungrafted specimums in the eastern states? And is it naturally a rather slow grower? Any and all coments welcome; can post a picture if necessary.

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Comments (6)

moksha
15 years ago
I don't think the name is right. Nothing comes up searching those at all.
popi_gw
15 years ago
I think you did well to grow your cuttings.

Sounds like your plant could be a cultivar.

I think your cuttings will survive.
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funnelweb
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the reposes. Moksha, the only entry shown on 'Google' is a mention of the plant in a book entitled Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies. It is real, it is a Western Australin variety. I've kept my plant label from when I bought it, which is unfortunately not a specific label, it's a general Eremophila plant label with 'Mackmilliana' hand written on. It is distinct and not a misprint. My parent plant is grafted, I'm not sure of the rootstock, is about 2 metres tall and bears extremely beautiful smokey grey narrow oblong leaves and carries the typical eremophila flowers, in pink. It's night outside now but tomorrow I'll take a picture or two and post though photobucket.
funnelweb
Original Author
15 years ago
See the separate message above where I posted 2 pics. By the way, I wonder how the word 'parent' in my yesterday's response became green and underlined? I have absolutely no connection with a company called Zyrtec. Maybe the site administrator might take a look at unsolicited advertisments.
moksha
15 years ago
I had a look in an Eremophila book today and yours is one of the lesser known types from central WA & it's said to be able to get to H4m X W2m. The authors weren't even sure if cuttings would strike from it but I guess you've found out they will. Congradulations!

Myoporum are what's used for grafting, the 2 mentioned that are best for coastal conditions being "insulare" and "acuminatum".

Maybe try grafting one of your cuttings if you can and see what happens.
funnelweb
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Moksha, I'd be interested in the name of that book. I was beginning to think mine was incorrectly labelled, or I was going mad. Central WA aye, well, it certainly is dry tolerant. My cuttings are still going ok though I noticed this spring brown scale was starting to have a suck so I quickly dispensed with them, though they've not bothered the parent. Myoporum, yes, I think I read that ages ago as it's preferred rootstock, however, I've never had much luck with grafts, not that I've tried too often, root stock material is not always easy or cheap to come by.