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The Kowhai flower is national flower of New Zealand. Kowhai - 3 Genuses: Sophora tetraptera, Sophora microphylla, Sophora prostrata.

The Kowhai is a spectacular tree in spring when, almost leafless, it bursts into bright yellow flower.

Cultivation: Plant in a well-drained, reasonable soil. Wet feet will mean a disappointing or dead plant. A tangled juvenile plant it will grow to 5-7m. Water if very dry, especially when young.

Propagation: Seed or cuttings. Their seeds are resistant to saltwater, and are believed to have floated around the southern oceans, with limited evolution taking place after establishing in new lands.

Beautiful, loose growing shrub with yellow flowers that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Leaves are hairy and velvet, pleasant to touch. Drought tolerant. Prefers dry soil and tolerates a wide pH range. Size: 5 - 10 feet. Zone: 10a, 10b. Occurs on recent sands on frontal coastal dunes. Historic records suggest it was a fairly common plant from Port Stephens northwards. Endangered species: the largest known population at Port Macquarie is estimated at up to 500 plants, other populations are of less than 20 plants.

Spanish broom is a perennial, evergreen shrub that can reach six to ten feet tall. The erect, bright green stems are rounded and mainly leafless. The stems branch off at the top, ending with flowering clusters on leafless racemes. The leaf shape is linear to lanceolate. Hairs are present on the lower surface. The leaves are the same bright green color as the stems. The flowers are bright yellow and pea-shaped. The fruits are hairy seed pods, flat and linear, up to three inches long. Spanish broom spreads by seed. Spartium junceum is the only species of this genus. Spanish broom is the most drought resistant of the broom species. It establishes in areas with full sun and limited water and it can grow in poor, rocky soils.

Flowers have a beautiful seagreen/turquoise color that is almost beyond description. This color is extremely rare in the plant world. The bloom is a pendant, clustered birds beak like inflorescence up to 4 1/2 ft. long and puts on a spectacular show when in bloom. Often used in Lei making. Can be grown indoors. The hue is probably the rarest in the world of flowers. A vigorous grower once established, it can reach 30-40 ft tall, but is perfect for a pergola where the blooming clusters can hang down. Specimen vine. Blooming season: winter-spring. Cannot stand hard freeze or drought. Grows best in Zones 9-11. Young leaves had very dark, almost black color. As the leaf matures, it turns deep green.

Ornamental groundcover with large black-centred red pea flowers over summer. Needs good drainage and a sunny position. Avoid watering on foliage. Moderately frost tolerant. In cultivation the desert pea is regarded as difficult and few people attempt to grow it. However it can be grown successfully in many areas if treated as an annual. Success is often reported by growing the plant in a deep container an a sunny, frost-free position. Propagation is best from seed which should be pretreated by scarification (using sheets of sandpaper) or by soaking in hot water. Seed is best sown where the plants are to be grown as seedlings are reported to be difficult to transplant. Sowing in late winter or early spring would be best if frost is a problem.

Swartzia arborescens is an evergreen tree with a flat or open crown.

Bobgunnia madagascariensis is a small deciduous tree. Pretty flowers with one large white petal and a mass of orange yellow stamens, are sweetly scented. The plant has large pods that turn dark when ripe and contain an unidentified toxin. Poison composed of the roasted seeds and innards of the beetle Diamphidia nigroornata is applied to the arrows of the Bushmen. Seeds, fruits and stem bark are also used in fishing by poisoning in Africa.

The plant is used medicinally, and the toxin causes red discoloration of the urine.

Varieties: Tart and Sweet. Season: Late Spring. A graceful tree with racemes of pea-like flowers. Large spreading habit. Easy to grow, wind resistant. Tart fruit is preferred by Islanders and sweet fruit is preferred by Asians. Tamarinds are grown as ornamental shade and street trees, and for the edible pods. The pods are fed to livestock, and the pulp within the pods is used to make beverages, curries, chutneys and sauces. Also Eaten fresh, in candies and and relishes. See article about tamarind.

A pretty plant with large red pea flowers. Grows in coastal areas, forest and heath on limestone.

Tephrosia is a perennial leguminous shrub indigenous to Uganda; in Lusoga and Luganda, it is known as muluku. It slow-growing, herbaceous, with soft, hairy-velvet leaves, pleasant to touch. Young leaves are silvery. The flower is about an inch across, and purple with white markings or white. The flowers are borne on compact racemes that bloom over a 3-6 week period. The plant is considered to be self-pollinated. The plant tolerates poor soils and harsh sites, attracts bees and butterflies.

Tephrosia is capable of fixing nitrogen from the air for improvement of soil fertility. The shrubs may be periodically pruned, applying immature plant parts to improve the soil. Leaves and roots of Tephrosia contain rotenone, a compound that is toxic to the root rats as well as fish and some insects. One new promising technology to control root rats is to plant Tephrosia as scattered plants in a field or as a barrier around fields. Tephrosia leaves can be used in insect control. Scientists at Kawanda have found the dried and powdered leaves of Tephrosia to be effective in the control of storage pests; in southern Tanzania, crushed fresh leaves are used in control of maize stalk borer. Tephrosia is also known as ‘fish bean’; it is often used to paralyze fish, causing them to float to the surface. See picture of flower.