Fan Flower
Scaevola aemula
Fan Flower blooms from May through October.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Fan Flower
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 10–11. Expect it to reach about 8 in tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Fan Flower
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Fan Flower into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from May to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 10 in January.
Comes in 3 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Fan Flower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Fan flower is unusually sensitive to phosphorus: a high-phosphorus feed can trigger yellowing between the veins of the newest leaves. Choose a low-phosphorus fertilizer. per Clemson and e-GRO
Full sun or part shade
Sources split: Illinois says full sun only; NC State, Clemson and Missouri Botanical also allow part shade. Full sun gives the most bloom; accept afternoon shade in brutal summers. per NC State and Clemson
The one-sided fan flower
Five petals all spread to one side, like an open hand or fan held in the leaf joints. That one-sided shape is what gives the plant its name. per NC State and Clemson
No deadheading needed
The flowers are self-cleaning: spent blooms drop on their own, so it flowers nonstop from late spring to frost with no deadheading. A big reason it stays low-maintenance. per Clemson
A trailing basket spiller
Low and spreading, with stems that cascade over an edge. That trailing habit makes it a natural spiller for hanging baskets, window boxes and the front of a bed. per NC State and Clemson
Draws bees and butterflies
Its long season of flowers draws butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. A steady, modest nectar source rather than a top-tier pollinator magnet. per Clemson
What pairs well with Fan Flower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; purple sits close to blue on the wheel.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 6.6 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its white flowers settle the blue.
Witch Hazel
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and moderate water; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; orange against blue, for contrast.
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