Family Index

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Scientific Name

Lotus australis

Family Name

FABACEAE (LEGUMINOSAE)

Common Name

Austral Trefoil

Status

Rare

Height

0.6m (60cm)

Flowers

Pea, petals white to purple-red, often creamy pink, keel shorter, darker, usually 3-8 together.

Fruit

Seed pods

Form

Perennial, sometimes shrubby at base, erect or ascending.

Municipalities

Break O'Day; Burnie; Clarence; Derwent Valley; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast; West Tamar

Communities

Coastal Vegetation

Habitat Notes

Local on sandy coasts. Resistant to salt spray.

Site Tolerance

Dry; Exposed; Moist; Windy

Frost Tolerance

Soil Tolerance

Phosphorous intolerant; Poor; Sandy; Well-drained

General Notes

Often short-lived in cultivation, 3-4 years being the normal life span. Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Pod straight, 3-5 cm long, brown when mature and contains up to 15 dark brown, hard seeds. valves twist spirally at maturity. collect by hand and store in a warm place until pods open to release seed

Seed Treatment Method

Hot water

Seed Storage Life

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Soak in hot water and allow to cool. Nicking the seed will also produce good results but this is tedious. Needs full sun and reasonable drainage.

Germination Time

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes