Walk through the arid interior of Australia and you'll almost certainly encounter an emu bush. With more than 260 species in the genus Eremophila, these hardy flowering shrubs are one of the most diverse and widespread native plant groups on the continent. Yet outside of specialist botanical and ethnobotanical circles, emu bush remains largely unknown — overshadowed by the more commercially prominent tea tree, eucalyptus and Kakadu plum.
That relative obscurity is beginning to change. A growing body of laboratory research is confirming what Aboriginal communities across arid and semi-arid Australia have known for a very long time: that several emu bush species have genuine, measurable medicinal properties. The science is still in early stages, but the direction is clear, and the traditional knowledge base is deep.
What is emu bush?
The name 'emu bush' applies to plants of the genus Eremophila, which means 'desert loving' in Greek — an apt description for a group that has colonised the most challenging environments on the continent. The genus is almost entirely Australian, with a handful of species extending into New Guinea. It is one of Australia's great botanical success stories: 260-plus species evolved specifically to thrive in the hot, dry, saline and nutrient-poor conditions of the Australian interior.
Emu bushes vary considerably in appearance, from low ground-hugging shrubs to tall multi-stemmed plants. Many produce tubular flowers — in purples, reds, pinks and whites — that are a critical nectar source for honeyeaters, lorikeets and other native birds. The berries of some species are eaten by emus (hence the common name) and other native fauna.
The species most commonly referenced in medicinal contexts include Eremophila longifolia (weeping eremophila, turpentine bush), Eremophila alternifolia (native fuchsia), and Eremophila duttoni, among many others. Different communities used different species depending on what grew on their Country.
Traditional medicinal uses
Emu bush has one of the broadest traditional use profiles of any Australian native plant, documented across Aboriginal communities from Western Australia through South Australia, the Northern Territory and western Queensland. The specifics varied by species, region and community, but several applications appear consistently in published ethnobotanical literature.
Wound healing and skin infections. The leaves of several emu bush species were used as poultices applied directly to infected sores, cuts and skin conditions. The leaves were typically crushed or bruised to release their active compounds, then applied fresh or after brief heating. This is one of the most widely documented uses, reported across diverse language groups and regions.
Ceremonial and therapeutic smoking. Green emu bush leaves and branches were burned to produce medicinal smoke, used both for physical healing — particularly for skin conditions, aches and fever — and in ceremonial contexts. This smoking practice is one of the most significant and widely distributed traditions in Aboriginal medicine, and emu bush is among the most commonly used plants for it.
Steam inhalation. Leaves were added to heated water and the steam inhaled for respiratory conditions including colds, congestion and chest complaints. This mirrors the eucalyptus steam inhalation that is more widely known, and reflects a broad traditional understanding that aromatic plant volatiles help respiratory symptoms.
Bathing and washing. Leaf infusions were used to wash infected skin, sores and eyes. This is consistent with the antimicrobial activity now being confirmed in laboratory research.
Pain relief. Some communities used emu bush preparations topically for joint pain and muscular discomfort. The anti-inflammatory compounds now being identified in research may partially explain this traditional use.
The research — what science has found
Laboratory research on emu bush species has expanded significantly since the 1990s, and the findings are consistently interesting. Several research groups — including teams at Australian universities — have investigated the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of various Eremophila species.
The antimicrobial results have been particularly notable. Multiple studies have found that extracts from emu bush leaves are active against a range of pathogenic bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A paper published in the journal Letters in Applied Microbiology found that Eremophila extracts were effective against several organisms responsible for serious hospital-acquired infections. The mechanism appears to involve disruption of bacterial cell membranes — similar to how tea tree oil works — rather than a single specific target, which may reduce the risk of bacteria developing resistance.
The compounds responsible for this antimicrobial activity include verbascoside and related caffeic acid derivatives — phenolic compounds also found in a number of European medicinal herbs but present in high concentrations in several emu bush species. These compounds have well-documented biological activity in the scientific literature.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity has also been demonstrated in laboratory models. The same phenolic compound family responsible for antimicrobial effects also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, inhibiting specific inflammatory signalling pathways in cell culture studies.
It is important to note that almost all of this research is in-vitro — conducted in laboratory settings rather than in human clinical trials. This is a common situation for native Australian plants, reflecting the general underfunding of clinical research into natural products. The laboratory findings are genuinely promising and provide biological plausibility for traditional uses, but they are not yet the same as clinical proof of efficacy in humans.
Why emu bush matters beyond its chemistry
The medicinal significance of emu bush is not only about what compounds it contains. It is also about where it grows. Eucalyptus and tea tree are coastal and sub-coastal plants — they are not available in the deep interior of the continent. Emu bush, by contrast, is a plant of the arid zone, growing exactly where Aboriginal communities in some of Australia's most remote Country needed accessible medicine. Its geographical range maps closely to some of the driest, most resource-limited environments in Australia. Having a medicinally active, widely available plant in those conditions was not a minor convenience — it was a significant practical resource.
This context helps explain why emu bush use is so extensively documented across diverse communities in arid and semi-arid Australia. It was not the only medicine available in those environments, but it was one of the most useful and most reliable.
Emu bush in contemporary use
Emu bush does not yet have the commercial profile of tea tree oil or Kakadu plum. You will not find it in mainstream pharmacy products or large-scale skincare ranges in the way those plants appear. But it is beginning to attract attention from the native plant industry, and several smaller Australian companies are working with emu bush extracts in premium skincare formulations, natural wound care products and antimicrobial preparations.
The path from laboratory finding to commercial product is long and expensive, and the lack of clinical trials means regulatory approval for specific therapeutic claims is not yet available. But the scientific interest is genuine, the traditional knowledge base is substantial, and the chemistry is encouraging. Emu bush is a serious candidate for broader recognition as the research matures.
For people interested in engaging with bush medicine practically, emu bush is most accessible through: native plant nurseries (many emu bush species are sold as drought-tolerant garden plants); the growing native food and medicine sector; and products from specialist Australian natural medicine producers who source ethically from arid zone communities.
A note on species and identification
With more than 260 species in the genus, emu bush presents real identification challenges. Not all species have the same medicinal properties — research has been conducted on specific species, and the results are not automatically transferable across the whole genus. Before using any emu bush species medicinally, correct species-level identification is important. The Australian Virtual Herbarium and state herbarium websites provide identification resources. When in doubt, work with commercially prepared products from identified species rather than foraging unknown material.