Family: Papilionaceae
Common Name: Crown Vetch

Native to Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia, these dense, hardy shrubs are useful as groundcover or for controlling erosion. The perfumed, pea-shaped flowers are borne in umbels and the small leaflets are soft and feathery.

Species

C. emerus, scorpion senna, zone 6, is the most popular of the species. The common name is derived from the slim, jointed seed pod which resembles a scorpion's tail. This deciduous shrub grows to 2.5 m (8 ft) and has fern-like leaves and yellow flowers, marked in red.

C. valentina, zone 9, also quite popular, grows 1.5 m (5 ft), with blueish gray foliage and bright yellow flowers in late winter and early spring.

Cultivation

Coronilla does well in any well-drained, sunny position. Propagate from seed sown in spring, or in autumn in mild areas, or by cuttings taken in late autumn. Cuttings strike quite easily in sandy loam. These plants can be cut back hard in late winter to early spring.

Climate

There are species suited to various climatic zones.