Common shaggy-pea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common shaggy-pea |
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| Oxylobium ellipticum in Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne | |
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Oxylobium
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| Species: |
ellipticum
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The Common Shaggy-Pea (scientific name: Oxylobium ellipticum) is a small, well-known plant. It belongs to the pea family. You can find it growing in the southeastern parts of Australia.
Contents
What Does the Common Shaggy-Pea Look Like?
The Common Shaggy-Pea is a bushy shrub. It has many branches and can grow taller than 2 meters (about 6.5 feet). Its leaves are oval-shaped, up to 4 centimeters (about 1.5 inches) long. They feel leathery and are dark green on top. The underside of the leaves is brownish and covered in soft hairs. You can also see a network of veins on the leaves. The edges of the leaves often curl downwards.
This plant produces bright golden-yellow flowers. These flowers look like tiny peas and grow in thick bunches at the ends of the branches. After the flowers, the plant forms small seed pods. These pods are about 7–8 millimeters long and are round. They are grey-brown and covered with long, silky hairs, which gives the plant its "shaggy" name! The Common Shaggy-Pea usually blooms between September and January.
Where Does the Common Shaggy-Pea Live?
Its Natural Home
This plant is very common in mountain areas. It likes places that are high up, like hills and mountains.
What Kind of Soil Does It Like?
The Common Shaggy-Pea often grows in thin, rocky soils. It also likes soils that have a lot of organic matter. These soils are usually found on quartzite sand.
Where Can You Find the Common Shaggy-Pea?
The Common Shaggy-Pea is a plant that is native only to Australia. You can find it spread across many parts of southeastern Australia. It grows widely in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.
Images for kids
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Golden yellow pea flowers in a dense cluster.
