Native Indigo, Indigofera australis
Features dainty pink pea flowers.
Native Indigo is naturally found in open forests such as eucalypt woodlands. In the garden it looks stunning as a mass planting. Its lilac-pink pea flowers are a pollen and nectar source for many native insects, including bees, wasps and butterflies. It is also the host plant for caterpillars of the Common Grass-blue butterfly, Zizina labradus.
Description
Native Indigo is a slender sparsely branched shrub to 1.5m. The plant produces lilac-pink pea-shaped flowers from late winter to spring. The soft blue-green leaves are divided into a number of small oblong leaflets.
Growth requirements
Native Indigo will grow in most situations but grows best in well drained soils with full to partial sun. Pruning following flowering is beneficial to maintain the shape of the bush. Once established the plant can withstand extended dry conditions but adequate watering improves its appearance.
