Swainsona galegifolia

Plant Characteristics

Height:	⇕	24 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 24.
Width:	⇔	6 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 6.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial
Bloom:	❀	early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun
Features:	✓	flowers
USDA Zones:		9 to 11
Flower features:	❀	white

Scientific Names

Fabaceae >

Swainsona >

galegifolia >

Swainsona galegifolia (Smooth Darling pea) is a flowering plant in the genus Swainsona in the family Fabaceae, native to Australia. It produces swainsonine.

Read about Swainsona galegifolia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Swainsona galegifolia, R. Br. (Vicia galegifolia, Andr. Colutea galegifolia, Sims. S. Osbornii, Moore). Small glabrous attractive shrub, with long flexuose or half-climbing branches: lfts. 5-10 pairs and an odd terminal one, small, oblong and obtuse or somewhat emarginate: racemes axillary and mostly exceeding the foliage, bearing rather large deep red fls.: pod 1-2 in. long, much inflated, stipitate. Austral.—An old-time garden plant, blooming freely in a cool- or intermediate house along with carnations and roses. It thrives well either as a pot-plant or in beds. It is hardy at San Francisco. It is a nearly continuous bloomer. Cuttings taken in late winter bloom in summer; these plants may then be transferred to the house for winter bloom, although maiden plants are to be preferred. By cutting back old plants, new bloom may be secured. Cuttings grow readily. The plant is easy to manage. The original form of swainsona is little known in cult., but the advent of the white form has brought the species to the fore. Var. albiflora, Lindl. (var. alba, Hort. S. albiflora, Don).— In N. America this is one of the most popular of florists' white fls. for use in winter decorations. It has been called the "winter sweet pea" because of the shape of the fls., but it has no fragrance. The delicate bright green foliage affords an excellent contrast with the pure white fls. This variety is often grown at the end of a rose- or carnation-house, or trained on a trellis. It likes abundant sunlight, rich soil, and liquid manure. When allowed too much root-room, the plants become very large and are slow to bloom, wherefore a large pot or tub is preferable to the border. Var. violacea, Hort., has rose-violet fls., and is somewhat dwarf. S. coronillaefolia, Salisb., probably represents this form or something very like it. S. coronillaefolia is an older name than S. galegifolia, and if the two names are considered to represent the same species the former should be used. Var. rosea, Hort., has pink fls. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

Gallery

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External links

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