Sphaerolobium minus
globe-pea
Overview
Sphaerolobium minus is a small wiry shrub in the family Fabaceae, growing 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall with slender, erect, green photosynthetic stems and few or no leaves at flowering. Any leaves present are tiny and scale-like, soon shed. Small pea flowers about 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) long appear along the upper stems in spring, yellow to orange with reddish markings, in the standard pea-flower form with a broad upper petal and a keel. Spherical seed pods follow, giving the genus its common name of globe-pea, each holding one or two seeds. The plant grows in southern Australia in heath, woodland, and open forest on moist sandy and peaty soils, often in seasonally damp depressions. It regenerates from seed after fire, which stimulates germination. The wiry, near-leafless habit reduces water loss in exposed sites. In cultivation it requires moist but well-drained acidic soil and an open, sunny position; it is short-lived and not widely grown. As a legume, it forms root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Heavy shade and rich, fertile soils reduce flowering and shorten the plant lifespan.
Native Range
Sphaerolobium minus occurs in southern Australia, across Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and parts of New South Wales. It grows in heath, woodland, and open forest on moist sandy and peaty soils, often in seasonally damp ground.Suggested Uses
Planted in native and heath gardens, bog-edge plantings, and seasonally damp sites with acidic soil. Suited to naturalistic plantings with other small pea shrubs. The wiry green stems and spring flowers add structure to low native borders.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread8" - 1'4"
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in spring, around September to December in its native range. Yellow to orange pea flowers with reddish markings line the upper stems. Spherical seed pods follow, ripening over the weeks after flowering.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
yellow to orange with red markingsFoliage Description
green stemsGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 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 Sphaerolobium minus in full sun in moist but well-drained acidic sandy or peaty soil. Water to keep the soil damp through the growing season, as the plant favours seasonally moist ground. It tolerates light frost but declines in heavy shade and rich soils. As a legume it forms nitrogen-fixing root nodules and needs little added fertiliser. Plants are short-lived, often persisting only a few years. Propagation is from seed, which germinates more readily after heat or smoke treatment.Pruning
Light tip pruning after flowering keeps the wiry stems branched and compact. Sphaerolobium minus tolerates only modest trimming and recovers slowly from hard cuts. Spent flowering stems are shortened once pods have shed.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons