Hardenbergia comptoniana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hardenbergia comptoniana |
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Hardenbergia
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H. comptoniana
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| Hardenbergia comptoniana |
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Glycine comptoniana Andrews |
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Hardenbergia comptoniana is a beautiful flowering plant from the pea family, called Fabaceae. It is native to Western Australia. This plant is a twining vine, which means it grows by wrapping itself around other plants or structures. It produces lovely purple flowers in the spring. You can find it growing on sand dunes, sandy plains, and in open forests. It likes soils that are sandy or clay-based. Many people enjoy growing it in their gardens, especially in places with some shade.
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How This Plant Got Its Name
A person named Henry Cranke Andrews first described this plant. He called it Glycine comptoniana. He named it after Lady Northampton, whose last name was Compton. This was because a plant specimen had flowered in her garden. Later, in 1837, George Bentham gave it its current name, Hardenbergia comptoniana.
People also call this plant by other common names. These include native lilac, wild sarsaparilla, and wild wisteria climber.
What Does It Look Like?
This plant is a strong twining vine. It has special narrow leaves with three leaflets. This helps you tell it apart from its close relative, Hardenbergia violacea, which has simple, undivided leaves.
The flowers look like small peas. They appear from August to November, which is late winter to spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Their colors can be mauve, purple, or dark blue. Sometimes, you can even find pink and white flowers. The two small spots on the top petal are white. This is different from H. violacea, which has light green-yellow spots. The flowers hang down in groups called racemes.
After the flowers, smooth, grey-brown seed pods grow. They are about 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) long. When these seed pods open to release their seeds, they make a clear 'pop' sound!
Where Does It Grow?
Hardenbergia comptoniana is found along the coast of Western Australia. It grows from Geraldton all the way down to Albany. You can see it on sand dunes, in areas with limestone, and on sandplains. It also grows in forests further inland. In these areas, it can be found in both sandy and clay-based soils.
Growing Hardenbergia comptoniana
This plant was first grown in gardens in England in 1810. The 1st Marchioness of Northampton brought it into cultivation.
H. comptoniana grows quite fast and strong. It can cover an area of 3 by 3 meters (about 10 by 10 feet) in just two years. Because it grows so quickly, it can sometimes cover smaller plants if not managed. The best place to grow it in a garden is where it gets some shade. Once it is established, it can climb high into nearby trees. It can also quickly cover fences or trellises.
It is easy to grow new plants from seeds. You can also successfully grow new plants from cuttings.
