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.