Family:

Fabaceae

Hovea rosmarinifolia

Mountain Beauty

Other Names:

First Nations Name(s):

Regional Subspecies:

Occurrence:

Regional:

Bringenbrong-Khancoban district.

Habitat:

Poor sandy soils. Mostly scrubby understoreys of open forests on sheltered gully slopes.

Habit:

Light shrub to 1.5 m high. Narrow leaves 1-3 cm long and 1-2 mm wide, dark- green above and paler beneath.

Site Preference:

Requires freely-draining soil. Tolerates light to moderate frost and extended dry periods.

Flowering:

Bluish-purple or mauve flowers, Aug-Nov.

Seed Collection:

Pick hairy rounded pods after monitoring closely.

Propagation:

From scarified seed which germinate readily, or cuttings which may be slow to root.

VALUES:

Land Protection:

Legume — improves soil fertility through ‘fixing’ nitrogen. Important component of understorey.

Ornamental:

Useful screen.