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Pultenaea juniperina

prickly beauty

Fabaceae Southeastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Pultenaea juniperina is an evergreen shrub 2-6 feet (0.6-1.8 m) tall with rigid, sharply pointed leaves that give the plant its prickly habit and common name. The narrow leaves are 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) long, stiff, and tipped with a sharp spine, set closely along the stems. In spring the branches carry yellow to orange pea-shaped flowers, each about 0.4 inch (10 mm) wide and marked with red or brownish tones, clustered toward the stem tips. Small pods follow and release seed. It is native to southeastern Australia, where it grows in heath, dry forest, and woodland on sandy or rocky soils. The plant grows on well-drained, low-phosphorus soils and, like other peas, fixes nitrogen through its roots. Its sharp foliage makes it awkward to handle, and growth can be open and prickly rather than dense. It tolerates frost and drought once established but is sensitive to phosphorus-rich fertilisers.

Native Range

Pultenaea juniperina is native to southeastern Australia, occurring in Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales. It grows in heath, dry sclerophyll forest, and woodland on sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils.

Suggested Uses

Grown in native, heath, and habitat gardens, and used as a low barrier or understorey shrub on free-draining soils. The prickly habit suits informal screening and gives shelter and nesting cover for small birds.

How to Identify

Identify by the stiff, sharply pointed leaves 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) long that end in a sharp spine and the yellow-to-orange pea flowers marked with red in spring. The prickly, juniper-like foliage and clustered pea flowers separate it from softer-leaved native peas. Small pods form after flowering.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 6'

Width/Spread2' - 5'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in spring, mainly September to December in its native range. The yellow and orange pea flowers open in clusters near the branch tips over several weeks. Seed pods develop soon after and shed seed in early summer.

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 Range5.0 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Pultenaea juniperina grows in full sun to light shade in well-drained sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil low in phosphorus. Once established it tolerates frost and dry spells and needs little watering, and phosphorus-rich fertilisers can harm the roots. Like other legumes it fixes nitrogen and grows on lean soils. Growth can be open, and the foliage is sharply prickly. It is propagated from seed treated with hot water or scarified to break the hard seed coat, or from cuttings.

Pruning

Light tip pruning after flowering keeps the shrub more compact and slows the open, woody growth that develops with age. The prickly foliage makes hand pruning awkward, and the plant reshoots slowly from bare old wood. Removing spent flower clusters is not necessary.