Oxylobium ellipticum
golden shaggy-pea
Montane south-eastern Australia and Tasmania
Overview
Oxylobium ellipticum is an evergreen shrub growing 2-6.5 feet (0.6-2 m) tall and 2-5 feet (0.6-1.5 m) wide, with an erect, bushy habit and stems covered in short rusty hairs. The leaves are elliptic to oval, 0.4-1.2 inches (1-3 cm) long, dark green above and paler beneath, with the margins rolled under and arranged in whorls of three along the stems. Pea flowers 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across open in dense clusters at the branch tips, orange-yellow with red to brown markings in the centre. Flowering occurs in spring and early summer, from October to January in the native range. Flat to oval pods follow and split to release the seed. The shrub grows in montane and subalpine woodland, heath, and along streams in south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, on moist, well-drained soils. It tolerates cold, frost, and snow and regrows from the base after fire. Growth slows in hot, dry lowland conditions outside its mountain range.
Native Range
Native to south-eastern Australia, in the mountains of New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and Tasmania. It grows in montane and subalpine woodland, heath, and along mountain streams.Suggested Uses
Grown in cool-climate, native, and rockery gardens and in mountain revegetation plantings. It suits frost-prone sites where many shrubs fail. The flowers draw native bees and other insects.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2' - 6'6"
Width/Spread2' - 5'
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in spring and early summer, from October to January in the native range and in the corresponding warm months in Northern Hemisphere cultivation. Dense clusters of orange-yellow pea flowers open at the branch tips over several weeks. Flat pods follow and ripen through summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Orange-yellow with red markingsFoliage Description
Dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-10 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow Oxylobium ellipticum in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0-6.5. It comes from cool mountain country and tolerates frost, snow, and cold winters, but grows poorly in hot, dry lowland heat. As a legume it fixes nitrogen and tolerates low-fertility soils, and a low-phosphorus fertilizer suits it. Steady moisture suits it through the growing season, with sharp drainage to prevent root rot. It regrows from the base after being cut back or burned.Pruning
Prune lightly after flowering to keep the shrub compact and bushy. Tip-pruning young plants increases branching and density. The shrub tolerates harder cutting back, resprouting from the base.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons