'''''Scaevola aemula''''' ('''Fairy Fan-flower''' or '''Common Fan-flower''') is a small shrub in the family [[Goodeniaceae]], native to southern [[Australia]]. It grows to 50 cm in height and produces white or blue flowers in spikes up to 24 cm long from August to March in its native range.<ref name=FOA>Flora of Australia Online</ref> These are followed by rounded, wrinkled berries to 4.5 mm in length.<ref name=NSW>http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Scaevola~aemula</ref>
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The species occurs in [[Western Australia]]<ref name=WA>{{FloraBase|name=''Scaevola aemula'' |id=7594 }}</ref>, [[South Australia]]<ref name=SA>http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml.cgi?form=speciesfacts&family=Goodeniaceae&genus=Scaevola&species=aemula</ref>, [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]<ref name=NSW/> and [[New South Wales]].<ref name=NSW/>
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The species is thought to be the most commonly cultivated of the genus ''[[Scaevola]]'', and a large number of cultivars have been developed.<ref name=ASGAP>http://asgap.org.au/s-aem.html</ref><ref name=Seale>Garden Companion to Native Plants, Reed Books, ISBN 0730101878</ref>
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Most of these are mat-forming to a height of 12 cm and spreading up to 1 metre in width. It prefers a sunny or partially shaded, well-drained position and tolerates salt spray and periods of drought.<ref name=Seale/> Pruning and pinching of tip growth may be carried out to shape the plant.<ref name=Seale/> Propagation is from [[Cutting (plant)|cuttings]] or by [[layering]].<ref name=Seale/>