Plant DetailShow Menu

Fairy Fan Flower, Scaevola aemula

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
sky-VOL-ah AYE-mew-lah
Description

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.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Blue Fan'
  • 'Blue Wonder'
    Violet flowers on trailing stems.
  • 'Bombay Dark Blue'
  • 'Bombay Lavender'
  • 'Bombay White'
  • 'Whirlwind Blue'
'Blue Fan', 'Blue Wonder', 'Bombay Dark Blue', 'Bombay Lavender', 'Bombay White', 'Whirlwind Blue'
Tags:
#showy flowers#not hardy#blue flowers#hanging baskets#tender perennial#herbaceous perennial#sprawling#subshrub#fantz#partial shade tolerant#container plant#annual
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Blue Fan'
  • 'Blue Wonder'
    Violet flowers on trailing stems.
  • 'Bombay Dark Blue'
  • 'Bombay Lavender'
  • 'Bombay White'
  • 'Whirlwind Blue'
'Blue Fan', 'Blue Wonder', 'Bombay Dark Blue', 'Bombay Lavender', 'Bombay White', 'Whirlwind Blue'
Tags:
#showy flowers#not hardy#blue flowers#hanging baskets#tender perennial#herbaceous perennial#sprawling#subshrub#fantz#partial shade tolerant#container plant#annual
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Scaevola
    Species:
    aemula
    Family:
    Goodeniaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Australia
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Ascending
    Horizontal
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Radial
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Description:
    Fan-shaped dark blue flowers with 5 petals in the axils of the leaves. Blooms profusely on trailing stems throughout summer to first frost.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    One to two inch long lance-shaped green leaves with toothed margins.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    ascending and/or procumbent stems.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Hanging Baskets
    Rock Wall
    Landscape Theme:
    Cutting Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Specimen
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Heat