How do you propagate Sturt desert Peas?
To germinate seeds, place the seeds in a container and cover with boiling water, allow them to soak overnight. Seeds that soften and swell to 1.5-2 times their original size can be sown; those that don’t swell should be discarded or re-treated. Germinate the seed in a very free-draining mix with clean river sand.
Are Sturt desert Peas perennial?
In its natural habitat Sturt’s Desert Pea is a perennial plant with silky grey-green pinnate foliage arising from prostrate stems.
How long do Sturt desert Peas flower for?
It is usually treated as an annual, and should flower 4 months after sowing from seed….Swainsona formosa – Sturt’s Desert Pea.
| Family: | Fabaceae |
|---|---|
| Height: | 0.5 ~ 2 metres |
| Width: | 1 ~ 3 metre |
| Flower Colour: | Cream, Red, Pink, Black |
| Flowering Time: | Spring, Summer |
How do Sturt’s Desert Pea survive in the desert?
This plant lives in hot inland deserts with sandy, rocky surroundings. Some of the structural adaptations of the Sturt’s Desert Pea are: small seeds that hold viability, which allows it to germinate after many years. Also the long tap root can allow access to water in deep areas of the soil.
What kind of flowers does a Swainsona formosa produce?
We do not sell these plants. Swainsonia formosa or Sturt’s Desert Pea is a low growing, almost prostrate annual with grey green, hairy foliage made up of many leafelts along a stem. In spring it produces arresting scarlet flowers with black blobs (boss) on them that look like two eyes.
How did the Swainsona Desert Pea get its name?
Swainsona formosa, Sturt’s Desert Pea, is an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre, or “boss”. It is one of Australia’s best known wildflowers.
When to graft Desert Pea shoot to Swainsona plant?
Grafting is normally undertaken at the two cotyledon stage, where the Sturt’s Desert Pea shoot is positioned between the two cotyledons of a C. puniceus after the original shoot has been removed, and then held in place with the use of small plastic clips until the graft is established.
How is the sturt’s desert pea plant propagated?
The Sturt’s Desert Pea is most commonly propagated through seed, although cuttings and micropropagation are also possible. Seeds need to be scarified before sowing to allow imbibition of water to occur.
