General Description:

The genus Daviesia consists of around 130 species, all of which are Australian endemics, and are commonly known as ‘bitter peas’. The leaves are modified to phyllodes or reduced to scales. Daviesias can be found in most states but mainly occur in the south-west of Western Australia. All are small to large shrubs.

Daviesia alata is a prostrate to low-lying shrub that spreads to about 1 metre.  It has winged branchlets that are triangular in cross-section and phyllodes that are reduced to scales on mature plants.  Young plants have egg-shaped or linear phyllodes from 30-60 mm long.

The flowers have the typical “pea” shape consisting of 4 petals; the “standard”, the “keel” and two “wings”, as shown in the diagram. The flowers are orange/red with a yellow centre and occur in clusters from the leaf axils. Flowering generally occurs in spring to summer and flowers are followed by triangular, flattened seed pods.

Daviesias are sometimes grown by enthusiasts but the genus is not in widespread cultivation. This is a pity as there are a number of species that would make excellent subjects for cultivation. D.alataa is one of these as it has an attractive and unusual growth habit and is very colourful when in flower. Plants require a well drained soil in a sunny or partly shaded position.

Propagation is easy from seed following pre-treatment to break the physical dormancy provided by the impervious seed coat. Pre-treatment can be carried out by abrasion or by the use of boiling water (further details can be found in under the “Propagation” tab of the “Pea Family” page). The seed retains viability for many years. Cuttings may be successful but are often slow to strike and may not produce a vigorous root system.