HARDENBERGIA. Australia. A small genus of vining Australian pea-shrubs with a variety of uses in the landscape, including large scale ground and bank cover. Though quite different in leaf, all species produce similar, narrow clusters of showy pea-flowers, in the leaf-axils all along the stems, in winter and early spring. Colors range from deep violet to pink and white. Sun or light shade, well drained soil, moderate watering. Hardiness varies.
‘Myrtle Wolf’. The woman for whom we named this selection is one of the patron saints of horticulture. It cropped up as a seedling in her garden and is almost certainly a hybrid between H. comptoniana and H. violacea (see below). Most, not all, of the leaves are divided into three leaflets, but these are broad and angled like the leaves of H. violacea. It is quite floriferous and has flowers colored a rich, deep violet. Evidently 20oF or less.
violacea ‘Happy Wanderer’. An outstanding selection introduced here by the U.C. Santa Cruz Arboretum. In somewhat the manner of star jasmine, it can be a low but widely spreading shrub if free standing but will twine several feet up with support. It has reddish stems and broad, pointed, undivided leaves, bronzy in new growth. Large spikes of deep violet blossoms are clustered along the stems from fall to early spring. A selection of similar habit, perhaps a bit more moderate growth, and pure white flowers, is ‘Icicle’. Hardy to 20oF or less.