Fairy Fan Flower, Scaevola aemula

Fan Flower is a herbaceous, flowering perennial with a sprawling habit native to the arid and semi-arid areas of Australia. It is hardy in a narrow range of USDA zones (zones 10 and 11) where it thrives in hot and dry summer climates, but it can be grown as an annual in North Carolina. It can also be taken indoors over winter if desired. The plant has both ascending and horizontal stems and grows to 1 1/2 feet tall with a 2-foot spread. The dark blue fan-shaped flowers occur in the leaf axis summer through frost. Cultivars are available in other colors. It is heat and drought tolerant. The genus name comes from the Greek scaeva meaning left-handed for the hand-like aspect of the flower. The species name means rivaling or imitating.

Fan Flower is often grown as a annual in hanging baskets or containers or draped over a slope or wall. If grown outdoors, it is typically sited in well-drained soil with dappled sunlight or partial shade. Water regularly throughout growing season. If grown in a container, the plants can be brought indoors in the winter, or you can take cuttings in late summer. If grown in outdoor beds, you can pot them up in fall and overwinter. More typically, however, the plants are replaced every spring or grown from seed that is started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems.