Here is this months Aussie native, I figure I'll through one up each month.... This is probably my favourite groundcover because they literally make a coloured carpet. Family : Goodeniaceae Genus : Scaevola Species : aemula Also known as Fan flower, Scaevola aemula is quite a hardy and lasting groundcover. It is one of over 100 species in the Genus not all from Australia. Contrary to other Scaevola not endemic to Australia these have dry seed bodies and are more prostrate in habit. The colour ranges from blues, whites to pinks even white with pink or blue stripes. Needless to say the plant got it's common name from the flowers shape, like they've been cut down the middle. Through some selective breeding the flowers are now very large when compared to earlier varieties with flowers half the size of now. Scaevola aemula prefer sheltered areas, protected from extreme heat and survive with minimal watering. They last a good couple of years before becoming leggy and a little messy. Regular pruning does help maintain bushiness and prolong the life of these. Propagation is most commonly done by cuttings which are fairly easy to strike. ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaevola
