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Monday 13 July 2020

Three Can Climb:Running Postman, Happy Wanderer and Snake Vine

PLANT OF THE WEEK x 3

Scientific Name:Kennedia rubicunda; 
Common name: Dusky Coral Pea, Running Postman
Family: Fabaceae
Etymology:Kennedia...after John Kennedy, an English nurseryman
rubicunda...referring to the colour of the flowers
Flowering
: Spring with pea like flowers, that is, a standard of 4 petals, a keel and two wings.
Grows: 3m high x 3m wide
Suitable as a trellis climber or covering embankments. Bird attracting.
Kennedia rubicunda
This next plant is a climber as we have been taking about climbers for a couple of weeks.
It’s got these attractive scarlet to pink flowers but what else?
Let’s find out…
I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert.

The running postman title is probably because of the red flowers that appear on this fairly vigorous vine or creeper.
Did you also know though that it’s a very useful medicinal plant to grow?
Apparently its leaves were bruised and drunk as a tincture when recovering from illness. Don’t know what sort of illness though.

Use it as a groundcover, for arches, teepees and vine supports. 
some will say that it's happy growing in a pot.  I can't be sure about that.
Dusky Coral Pea does best in full sun but will tolerate part shade. 
It needs to be protected from frosts.
There is another cultivar Kennedia nigricans that Adrian and Marianne mention. This has black and yellow coloured flowers. 
A cultivar known as Kennedia nigricans 'Minstrel' was registered with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority by Goldup Nursery of Mount Evelyn, Victoria in September 1985. This cultivar was selected from a batch of seedlings in 1983 and has a pale colouration instead of the yellow, which appears almost white.


PLANT OF THE WEEK X 3

Scientific Name: Hardenbergia violacea
Common Name: Native Sarsparilla, Happy Wanderer
Family: Fabaceae


Grows:the species form grows to 6m. There are many other forms that grow only as a sub-shrub or smaller climber.
Etymology: Hardenbergia...after Franziska Countess von Hardenberg.
violacea...referring to the typical flower colour
Cultivars: 
"Happy Wanderer" (very vigorous, purple flowers)
"Pink Fizz" (pink flowers - climbing, not vigorous)
"Mini Haha" (compact, shrubby - purple flowers)
"Alba" (white flowers)
"Free 'n' Easy" (whitish flowers, vigorous climber)
"Blushing Princess" (shrubby - mauve-pink flowers)
"Purple Falls" (trailing - purple flowers, good for rockeries)
"Bushy Blue" (shrubby - blue-purple flowers).

If you love the colour purple in the garden you’ll love this next plant because it’s got it all.
It’s tough, it flowers for ages, and you don’t even have to do too much to look after it.
Let’s find out more...
I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert.


There’s so many Hardenbergias to choose from that come in not just creepers or climbers, but small little shrubby things that spread a bit.

Some of the shrubby forms of Hardenbergia are very useful for mass plantings, rock gardens, retaining walls and banks for home gardens and larger landscapes.

There are some good shrubby forms on the market such as ‘Bushy Blue’, ‘Purple Spray’ and ‘Regent’ which can grow from 60cm tall (‘Bushy Blue’) to 1.5m tall (‘Regent’). ‘Mini Haha’ is a compact dwarf form but it is not as robust as other types.

There’s also ‘Meema’ will grow to approximately 450mm tall with a 2 metre spread which is ideal for outcompeting weeds and creating a ground cover with a shrubby appearance.

PLANT OF THE WEEK X 3

Common Name:Golden Guinea Flower: Snake vine
Latin Name: Hibbertia scandens
Family: Dilleniaceae
EtymologyHibbertia...after George Hibbert, a patron of botany; scandens.... "climbing", because of the climbing habit of the species.
Flowering:spring, summer but spot flowers throughout the year
Description: a scrambling climber or vine anywhere between 2 to 4 metres. Glossy mid green leaves with buttercup yellow flowers with prominent golden stamens.
Hibbertia scandens
What else?
Let’s find out…

That was Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert.
Hibbertias are sometimes called Guinea Flowers because the flower shape and colour looks like the ancient Golden Guinea coin.
When Adrian has seen it in the bush, it's mostly in open forest or gullies. 
The flowers shape and colour is a dead give-away for the hibbertia species.
The "snakes" are the tendrils that twine themselves together and climb up.
Perfect specimen for sloping sites where it can scramble freely.
If you have any questions of course, why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

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