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© John Tann from Sydney, Australia, some rights reserved (CC-BY) · Wikimedia Commons
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Platylobium formosum
handsome flat pea
Overview
Platylobium formosum is a small shrub or scrambling subshrub growing 12-60 inches (30-150 cm) tall, with slender stems that may climb through surrounding vegetation. Leaves are mostly opposite, triangular to heart-shaped, 0.6-2 inches (1.5-5 cm) long, leathery, with a netted vein pattern and often a pointed or lobed base. Pea-shaped flowers are 0.6-1 inch (15-25 mm) across, with a yellow to orange standard petal marked with red to brown at the centre, a red-brown keel, and held singly or in pairs in the leaf axils. Flowering occurs in spring. The fruit is a flat, oblong pod 0.8-1.6 inches (2-4 cm) long with a winged upper edge, brown when ripe, splitting to release hard seeds. The plant grows from a woody base and, like other legumes, fixes nitrogen through root nodules. Growth is slow to moderate. Many populations resprout from the base after fire, and seed germinates strongly after heat or smoke. Foliage is held year-round, becoming sparse on older, scrambling stems.
Native Range
Native to south-eastern Australia, occurring in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. Grows in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland, and heath, usually on sandy or gravelly, low-nutrient soils in open to lightly shaded positions.Suggested Uses
Grown in native and bush gardens, on embankments, and in low-water plantings, spaced 18-36 inches (45-90 cm) apart. The scrambling habit suits growing through open shrubs or over low rocks. Grows in containers of at least 2 gallons (8 L) with free-draining, low-phosphorus mix.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 5'
Width/Spread1' - 4'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Flowers in spring, mainly from September to November, with timing varying by district and altitude. Flowers are held singly or in pairs in the leaf axils and last one to two weeks. Flowering is heavier after fire and in open, sunny positions.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
yellow to orange with red-brown markingsFoliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-9 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
Grows in full sun to part shade on free-draining sandy or gravelly soils low in phosphorus. Established plants tolerate drought and light frosts; waterlogging causes root decline. Watering through the first summer aids establishment, after which little supplementary water is needed. As a legume, it fixes its own nitrogen and needs no nitrogen feeding; phosphate fertilisers can damage the roots. Seed germinates after heat or smoke treatment, reflecting the plant's fire-adapted habitat. Plants are short-lived, persisting around 5-10 years.Pruning
Light tip pruning after flowering keeps the plant bushy and limits straggly, scrambling growth. Cutting back into old wood is unreliable for reshooting, so pruning is kept to younger stems. Plants that resprout from the base can be cut low to renew them.Pruning Schedule
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F
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A
M
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O
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summer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons