Common Name: fan flower
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Goodeniaceae
Native Range: Australia
Zone: 10 to 11
Height: 0.75 to 1.50 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: Flowers freely
Bloom Description: Dark blue
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Annual
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Evergreen
Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11. In St. Louis, it is usually grown as an annual in hanging baskets, containers or as a bedding plant. It is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers light filtered or dappled sun. Water regularly throughout growing season. Thrives in hot and dry summer climates. Container plants may be overwintered indoors or cuttings may be taken in late summer for overwintering indoors. Bedding plants may be potted up in fall and overwintered. However, these plants are often simply replaced annually in spring rather than trying to overwinter them. May be grown from seed started indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Scaevola aemula, commonly called fan flower or fairy fan flower, is native to Australia. It is a sprawling evergreen perennial with ascending and/or procumbent stems. It typically grows to 9-18” tall and spreads to 24” wide. It thrives in hot, humid climates where it produces a non-stop bloom of dark blue fan-shaped flowers in the leaf axils on trailing stems throughout summer to first frost. Lanceolate to obovate, toothed green leaves (to 2” long).
Genus name comes from the Greek scaeva meaning left-handed for the hand-like aspect of the flower.
Specific epithet means rivaling or imitating.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Tender perennial usually grown as an annual for hanging baskets, containers, window boxes, bedding or sprawling over a wall.