Blue leschenaultia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blue leschenaultia
Scientific classification
Genus:	Lechenaultia
Species:	biloba

Lechenaultia biloba, often called the Blue Leschenaultia, is a beautiful plant from Western Australia. It belongs to the Goodeniaceae family. This plant was first described in 1839 by a botanist named John Lindley. Its name, biloba, comes from the two special lobes (parts) on its flowers.

Discovering the Blue Leschenaultia

This plant was first discovered and recorded in 1839. A botanist named James Drummond collected a sample near the Swan River. Another botanist, Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, described a similar plant from the Vasse River. Later, it was realized that these were the same species.

What Does the Blue Leschenaultia Look Like?

Lechenaultia biloba grows as a spreading bush. It can be anywhere from 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) to 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can even reach 1.6 meters (over 5 feet) tall!

Its leaves are a grey-green to green color. They are thin and long, usually 6 to 15 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.6 inches) in length. They are only about 1 millimeter wide.

Amazing Flower Colors

This plant flowers from July to December. The flowers are famous for their amazing colors. They can be dark blue, light blue, or even cream. Sometimes, you can find plants with different flower colors growing in the same area! Cream-colored flowers are usually found on the sandy plains in the western part of the state.

Where Does the Blue Leschenaultia Grow?

You can find Lechenaultia biloba across a large area of Western Australia. It grows from the Geraldton sandplains in the north, all the way south to the southwestern corner of the state. It also grows east towards Esperance.

This plant prefers to grow in soils that come from granite or laterite rock. You can find it on hills or in flat areas.

Growing Blue Leschenaultia in Your Garden

The Blue Leschenaultia is one of the most popular plants in its group. People love to grow it in Australian gardens because of its bright blue flowers. It was first grown in gardens in the United Kingdom in the 1840s.

Tips for Growing This Plant

Growing Lechenaultia biloba can be a bit tricky. It needs a place with good air flow and excellent drainage. This means the water should drain away quickly from the soil. If the soil stays too wet, the plant can get fungal diseases.

Common problems include:

• Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) on the branches.
• Root rot from soil-borne fungi like Phytophthora and Pythium.

Because of these issues, the plant often doesn't live very long. In a good spot, it might last four to six years. In a poor spot, it might die within a year. Luckily, it's easy to grow new plants from cuttings.

Where to Plant It

You can plant Lechenaultia biloba in rock gardens. It also looks beautiful when grown in hanging baskets.

Images for kids

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  Flower detail