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Dillwynia sericea

showy parrot-pea

Fabaceae Southeastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Dillwynia sericea is a small evergreen legume shrub growing 1-3 feet (30-100 cm) tall and 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) wide, with an erect to spreading form and slender, often softly hairy stems. The narrow leaves are heath-like, almost cylindrical, 0.2-0.4 inch (5-10 mm) long, and frequently silky-haired, scattered along the branchlets. Pea-shaped flowers about 0.4 inch (1 cm) across cluster toward the stem tips in spring, with yellow to orange petals marked red toward the centre. Small pods follow and split to release seed. As a legume, the plant fixes nitrogen through root nodules and grows in heathy woodland and dry sclerophyll forest on sandy and gravelly soils across southeastern Australia. It tolerates poor soils and dry conditions once established but is short-lived, often persisting only a few years, and reseeds after fire. Heavy, wet soils and rich feeding shorten its life further.

Native Range

Native to southeastern Australia, including Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania, where it grows in heathland, grassy woodland, and dry sclerophyll forest on sandy or gravelly soils.

Suggested Uses

Suited to native gardens, rockeries, and low heath plantings on sandy soils, and used in habitat restoration on its native ground. Its nectar-rich flowers support native bees and other insects.

How to Identify

Identify Dillwynia sericea by its low, wiry habit, its narrow near-cylindrical heath-like leaves that are often silky-haired, and its clustered pea flowers with yellow to orange petals marked red at the centre. The small splitting pods confirm its legume identity.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring

Pea-shaped flowers open in spring, mainly September to November in the southern hemisphere. Flowering lasts several weeks, covering the stem tips in yellow, orange, and red tones before small pods form.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

yellow to orange with red markings

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Dillwynia sericea in full sun to light shade in sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil that is low in nutrients. It tolerates dry conditions once established and suits rockeries, native gardens, and heath plantings. Heavy clay, waterlogging, and phosphorus-rich fertiliser shorten its already short life. Light watering through the first dry season aids establishment, after which it needs little supplementary water. It is frost-tolerant within its native range. Plants are commonly raised from seed treated with heat or scarification to break dormancy.

Pruning

Prune lightly after flowering to keep the habit compact, removing only soft tip growth rather than cutting into bare wood. The species reshoots weakly from old stems, so hard cutting back can leave gaps that are slow to refill.

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Unknown