Cancer Bush
Lessertia frutescens
© By Christian Hummert (Ixitixel) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6600896 (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Sutherlandia_frutescens_1.jpg) (None)
Description - from Wikipedia
Lessertia frutescens (syn. Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br.; Colutea frutescens L.) is a southern African legume in the family Fabaceae. It is also known as cancer bush, balloon pea, Cape bladder pea, sutherlandia; and phetola ("it changes") in seTswana, and insiswa ("the one that drives away the darkness") in isiZulu. It is a shrub with bitter, aromatic leaves, with red-orange flowers appearing in spring to mid-summer. These are followed by inflated, air-filled pods containing the seeds.
Description
Lessertia frutescens is a small bush growing up to about 1 m (39 in) high. It is native to dry parts of southern Africa, preferring full sun but tolerant of a wide variety of soil types. It is a tough, hardy, fast growing and drought tolerant but short lived plant. Seeds germinate readily in around two to three weeks and established plants self-seed readily.
Cultivation
Seedlings may be vulnerable to damping off, but provided it is in well-drained soil, it grows readily and is not very vulnerable to pests.
== References ==
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Species Characteristics
Wildlife supported
Tolerances & suitability
Growth features
Social features
Aspect
Plant types
Succession
Soils
Spatial classification
- Orange
- Red