Family: Papilionaceae
Common Name: Glory Pea, Lobster Claw, Parrot's Beak

Known by a number of common names, this exceptionally beautiful flowering shrub is a native of New Zealand. While suitable for a range of conditions, it is not very widely grown. It is low to medium growing, with a spreading habit, and has soft, rather succulent, fern-like foliage. Its striking flowers bloom profusely during summer. The genus formerly included Sturt's desert pea (Clianthus formosus), now known as Swainsona formosa.

Species

C. puniceus, glory pea, is a spreading, rather short-lived shrub from New Zealand, which grows 1.5-2 m (5-6 ft) tall. The pendulous flower stalks bear varying numbers of scarlet, beak-shaped blooms, each 5 cm (2 in) long. The keel of the flowers is laden with honey which attracts birds to the garden. Now almost extinct in its native New Zealand, where it was first cultivated by the Maoris, it has been made available by horticulturists in a number of interesting colour forms.

Cultivation

C. puniceus comes true from seed, which is the usual method of propagation. Because the seeds have a hard, waxy coat, it is necessary to first nick them carefully on the outside edge, opposite the embryonic shoot, or to carefully abrade them with sandpaper. Then soak for 24 hours in cold water, not boiling water. Plant seedlings in a mixture of sharp sand and peat. Selected colour forms can sometimes be increased by soft cuttings raised under glass; new plants should be started every three or four years. These plants grow naturally in areas where soils are rich in minerals, so in cultivation, fertilizer should be added during the growing season. Use either a slow-release type or a diluted liquid type. Once established, this species is drought resistant. In climates with hard frosts, grow in a cool conservatory or greenhouse.

Climate

Zone 8 or 9.