FABACEAE

n/a

Dwarf to small, multi-branched erect shrub, 30 cm to 1.5 m high. Fine slender leaves with bent tips. Showy yellow and orange flowers (Sep- Nov).

Riverine forest and Grey Box woodland. Protected position in dry, well-drained soil. Full sun. Prefers 300 to 500 mm rainfall in the Riverina region.

Collect seed late Oct-late Feb (monitor closely as mature seeds shed quickly). Propagate from scarified seed or cuttings of firm new growth. Strikes readily. Medium growth rate. Tolerates drought, frost, and wet soils over winter (but not permanent poor drainage). Resists Cinnamon fungus. Available from specialist nurseries.

Hardy species in cultivation. Low cover in windbreaks. Nitrogen-fixing legume, improves soil fertility. Food for insect-eating birds and butterfly caterpillars. Attractive specimen for beneath established trees and in tubs.