Nitrogen fixing plants

Employing natures integrated fertility

In permaculture and natural 'farming' there is a strong focus on closing energy and nutrient cycles. The objective is to avoid the need to import external sources of nutrient and fertility by retaining and building it directly on site.

The two obvious was to achieve this is with the use of animals (manure) and plants capable of fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere. While animals have their place, they are not without their challenges and so plants make an ideal starting point. Nitrogen fixing plants develop a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria and fungi in the root zone to achieve this miracle.

Having access to a ready source of nitrogen (essential for growing green leaves and thus photosynthesis) allows these plants to grow extra fast and quickly modify the local conditions to be more favorable for other plant species. By incorporating appropriate species of these plants amongst other plantings it is possible to accelerate the growth and development of the ecosystem.

Identification

The most obvious indicator of nitrogen fixing capability is that of legumes (fabaceae family), plants with seed pods like beans, peas, kowhai, tagasaste and many more. Another group is the actinorhizal plants that do not have seed pods.

Nitrogen fixing plant species suited to temperate climate such as North Canterbury New Zealand

Nitrogen fixing plant species suited to temperate climate such as North Canterbury New Zealand

Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth. Certain plants have a useful ability to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere. This is often achieved through symbiotic relationship with fungi in the root zone. Being able access unlimited nitrogen allows these plants to grow quickly while also making some available to surrounding plants. The practical reality is that including nitrogen fixing plants of various shapes and sizes amongst other productive plantings improves overall health, vigour and fertility,

 Related

Elaeagnus multiflora

Elaeagnus multiflora

Common name   Goumi, Cherry silverberry
Botanical name   Elaeagnus multiflora
Family   Elaeagnaceae
Details   All round great plant for most locations and food forest installations
Diameter   2.00
Height (m)   3
Drought tolerance  
Edible  
Fruit / berries  
Jugulone tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full to part sun
Soil type   Most
Senna multiglandulosa

Senna multiglandulosa

Common name   Cassia, glandular senna, downy senna, buttercup bush
Botanical name   Senna multiglandulosa
Family   Fabaceae
Details   Senna multiglandulosa is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by several common names, including glandular senna, downy senna, and buttercup bush.

It is native to Mexico, Guatemala, and western parts of South America, but it is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant and in some areas of the world has become naturalized in the wild. In some places it is considered a weed, for example, in New Zealand and New South Wales.

This is a hairy or woolly shrub which can grow to six meters in height, becoming treelike. The leaves are each made up of several pairs of thick, hairy, oval-shaped leaflets each measuring up to about 4 centimeters long. The leaves are studded with visible resin glands between the leaflets. The inflorescence is a raceme of several flowers, each with five golden yellow petals measuring 1 to 2 centimeters long. The flower has seven fertile stamens with large anthers and three sterile staminodes. The fruit is a legume pod, flattened or inflated and coated in hairs, reaching up to 12 centimeters long and filled with beanlike seeds.
Diameter   1.00
Height (m)   4
Flowers   Yellow
Evergreen  
Frost sensitive  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Shade / Sun   Full sun

 Related

Senna Seeds

Senna Seeds

Common name   glandular senna, downy senna, buttercup bush
Botanical name   Senna multiglandulosa
Details   A fast growing evergreen shrub which become treelike. The leaves are each made up of several pairs of thick, hairy, oval-shaped leaflets each measuring up to about 4 centimetres long. The leaves are studded with visible resin glands between the leaflets.
Evergreen  
Frost sensitive  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     evergreen  flowers  N fixer  tender  tree  yellow 
Price   $3.90  20 seeds
Watch Learn More Only 10 in stock   Order

Silver wattle

Common name   Silver wattle
Botanical name   Acacia Dealbata
Details   Fast growing, coppices readily, good firewood. Can sucker from root disturbed / damaged roots.
Family   Fabaceae
Diameter   1.00
Date   July 01, 2010
Height (m)   25
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Dry
Wind tolerance   High
Siberian Pea Shrub

Siberian Pea Shrub

Common name   Siberian Pea Shrub
Botanical name   Caragana arborescens
Family   Leguminosae/Fabaceae
Details   A genus of shrubs mostly native to Central Asia, some inhabiting dry, half-desert regions with hot summers and bitterly cold winters. They include some of the toughest and most accommodating of all plants, some able to survive temperatures down to -40°C. (A diversion for quiz addicts: this is the one point in the Centigrade and Fahrenheit scales of temperature where they are numerically the same.) As with many plants of such origin, they are often armed with an interesting variety of spines, some making useful impenetrable barriers. One of the toughest of all plants with clusters of yellow pea-flowers in May.
Flowers   Yellow
Diameter   1.00
Date   July 07, 2013
Height (m)   4
Drought tolerance  
Edible  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most
Wind tolerance   High

 Related

Siberian Pea Shrub seeds

Siberian Pea Shrub seeds

Botanical name   Caragana arborescens
Details   A genus of shrubs mostly native to Central Asia, some inhabiting dry, half-desert regions with hot summers and bitterly cold winters. They include some of the toughest and most accommodating of all plants, some able to survive temperatures down to -40°C
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     perennial  shrub  legume 
Price   $5.90  20 seeds
Watch Learn More Out of stock
Australian Indigo

Australian Indigo

Botanical name   Indigofera australis
Details   Tolerates light frost
Family   Fabaceae
Flowers   Pink, Purple
Diameter   2.00
Height (m)   2
Evergreen  
Drought tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Sunny, Light shade
Soil type   Sandy, Loamy, Sandy loam, Clay loam, Potting mix, Poor soil
Elaeagnus pungens

Elaeagnus pungens

Common name   Elaeagnus, Thorny olive, Thorny Elaeagnus, Oleaster, Silverberry, Silverthorn, Pungent Elaeagnus
Botanical name   Elaeagnus pungens
Details   Found on sunny slopes, road sides and thickets in lowlands, usually below 1000 metres and especially by the sea
Origin -
E. Asia - China, Japan.
Family   Elaeagnaceae
Diameter   4.00
Height (m)   4
Drought tolerance  
Edible  
Evergreen  
Fruit / berries  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full shade to full sun
Soil type   Most
Wind tolerance   Maritime exposure
Elaeagnus x ebbingei

Elaeagnus x ebbingei

Botanical name   Elaeagnus x ebbingei
Family   Elaeagnaceae
Details   Fast-growing, wind, cold & salt tolerant. Dense evergreen dark-green shrub with glossy leaves.
Highly-scented white flowers in autumn followed by orange-red edible fruit mid spring (Early October at blockhill).
Fruiting after 4 years
Nitrogen fixer.
Flowers   White
Diameter   5.00
Height (m)   5
Drought tolerance  
Edible  
Evergreen  
Fruit / berries  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full shade to full sun
Soil type   Most
Wind tolerance   Maritime exposure
Tags     berries  spring 
Kowhai

Kowhai

Botanical name   Sophora tetraptera
Details   Small leguminous tree with attractive fern-like foliage. Tangled juvenile stage leads to a stately adult tree.
Flowers profusely from September - November. Nectar is very attractive to birds, but can be toxic to honey bees.
Semi-deciduous. Hardy to cold and wind.
New Zealand native
Flowers   Yellow
Diameter   3.00
Height (m)   8
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Wind tolerance   High

 Related

Kowhai seeds

Kowhai seeds

Botanical name   Sophora tetraptera
Details   Large yellow flowers from September to November loved by bellbird and tui. Seed requires scarification before sowing. Mechanical scarification works best for this species. Reasonable results can also be achieved with hot water treatment.
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     evergreen  flowers  N fixer  native  yellow 
Price   $3.90  20 seeds
Watch Learn More Only 2 in stock   Order
Black locust

Black locust

Common name   Black locust
Botanical name   Robinia pseudoacacia
Details   Fast growing thorny tree with ground durable timber.
All parts of the plant (except the flowers) and especially the bark, should be considered to be toxic. The toxins are destroyed by heat.
Family   Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Flowers   White
Diameter   15.00
Height (m)   25
Drought tolerance  
Jugulone tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Wind tolerance   Moderate

Italian Alder

Common name   Italian Alder
Botanical name   Alnus Cordata
Details   Fast, deep-rooted, nitrogen-fixing tree.  Moderate drought tolerance.  Trims well, excellent shelter for native under-story. Popular for horticultural shelterbelts and soil conservation on hill country. Roots penetrate deeply and so do not spread sideways into valuable crops.
Deciduous. Holds leaves from September to June.  Cold hardy after first season.
Space at 1.5-4m centres for shelter.
Family   Betulaceae
Date   July 06, 2010
Height (m)   25
Drought tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Wind tolerance   Moderate
Purple Coral Pea Shrub

Purple Coral Pea Shrub

Common name   Purple Coral Pea Shrub
Botanical name   Hardenbergia violacea
Family   Fabaceae
Height (m)   2
Flowers   Purple
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Soil type   Light

 Related

Hardenbergia vine seeds

Hardenbergia vine seeds

Common name   Coral vine
Botanical name   Hardenbergia
Details   Vigorous evergreen climber native to Australia. Requires a warm, sheltered location. Can grow in dry conditions. Purple or pink and white flowers loved by bees in early spring.
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Frost sensitive  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     flowers  N fixer  purple  tender  vine 
Price   $3.90  20 seeds
Flowers   Pink / purple
Kakabeak

Kakabeak

Details   Grows in open, sunny, steep sites, often on rocky outcrops, slips, the bases of cliffs or edges of lakes and streams. It is a relatively short-lived plant, sometimes lasting 15-20 years.
Botanical name   Clianthus
Family   Fabaceae
Height (m)   2
Diameter   1.50
Evergreen  
Frost sensitive  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Sun
Flowers   Red

 Related

Kakabeak seeds

Kakabeak seeds

Common name   Clianthus
Botanical name   Clianthus
Details   Seeds collected from assorted red and pink flowering shrubs in the blockhill gardens. Seed can contain some white fluff, the dried pulp from the seed casing, this is NOT mould or fungus.
Drought tolerance  
Frost sensitive  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Propagate     November   January   December   October  
Tags     evergreen  flowers  N fixer  native  red  tender 
Price   $4.40  20 seeds
Watch Learn More Only 9 in stock   Order
Judas Tree

Judas Tree

Details   Hardy to -15C
Common name   Judas Tree, Redbud
Botanical name   Cercis siliquastrum
Family   Leguminosae
Height (m)   12
Diameter   10.00
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Drought tolerance  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most
Flowers   Pink
Chinese licorice

Chinese licorice

Common name   Gan Cao, Chinese licorice
Botanical name   Glycyrrhiza uralensis
Family   Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Height (m)   0.4
Diameter   0.60
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Edible  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Evergreen laburnum

Evergreen laburnum

Details   This Himalayan shrub is evergreen in mild sheltered sites, semi-evergreen elsewhere, losing its leaves in hard frost but soon recovering again in spring. The growth is upright and flexible, allowing plants to be trained on warm walls where they are sheltered and flower more profusely. The blooms are large and bright yellow, like those of laburnum but in short upright clusters. Although good drainage is important, make sure plants are watered in summer to prevent sudden die-back.
Botanical name   Piptanthus nepalensis
Height (m)   2.5
Diameter   2.00
Evergreen  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun, Partial shade
Flowers   Yellow

 Related

Piptanthus nepalensis seeds

Piptanthus nepalensis seeds

Flowers   Yellow
Common name   Evergreen Laburnum
Botanical name   Piptanthus nepalensis
Details   This Himalayan shrub grows easily from seed, is evergreen in mild sheltered sites, semi-evergreen elsewhere, losing its leaves in hard frost but soon recovering again in spring. The growth is upright and flexible, allowing plants to be trained on warm walls where they are sheltered and flower more profusely. The blooms are large and bright yellow, like those of laburnum but in short upright clusters. Although good drainage is important, make sure plants are watered in summer to prevent sudden die-back.
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     evergreen  flowers  N fixer  shrub  yellow 
Price   $4.50  20 seeds

Chinese Yellow Wood

Details   Broadly spreading, deciduous. New growth silvery blue-grey, very hardy. Creamy white pea-like flowers in dense erect clusters. A legume, fixes nitrogen from the air. Rare in NZ
Common name   Chinese Yellow Wood
Botanical name   Maackia Amurensis
Height (m)   6
Diameter   6.00
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   July 10, 2010
Wind tolerance   Low
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Silk tree

Silk tree

Details   Broadly spreading, deciduous. Often flat topped,late into leaf. Dark pink flowers on top of the leaves in January. The small leaflets of the compound leaves quickly disintegrate after leaf fall. Drought & heat tolerant.
Common name   Silk tree, Persian silk tree, pink silk tree
Botanical name   Albizia julibrissin rosea
Height (m)   10
Diameter   12.00
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Nitrogen fixer  
Drought tolerance  
Date   July 02, 2012
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most
Flowers   Pink
Tree Lucerne, Tagasaste

Tree Lucerne, Tagasaste

Details   A wide spreading, tall, deciduous shrub. Vigorous growth, leaves and white flowers in spring eaten by native pigeons (krereru). Foliage can be cut for grazing stock in droughts and for use as mulch material. Fixes nitrogen. Can be killed by severe frosts.
Common name   Tree Lucerne, Tagasaste
Botanical name   Chamaecytisus Palmensis
Family   Fabaceae
Height (m)   4
Diameter   3.00
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Evergreen  
Frost sensitive  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Drought tolerance  
Date   July 04, 2012
Wind tolerance   High
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Soil type   Most
Flowers   White
Rating  
New Jersey Tea

New Jersey Tea

Details   Deciduous shrub growing in dry woods and on gravelly banks, often on sandstone or limestone bluffs
Common name   New Jersey Tea, Wild Snowball
Botanical name   Ceanothus americanus
Family   Rhamnaceae
Height (m)   1.2
Diameter   1.00
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most
Flowers   White
Liquorice

Liquorice

Common name   Liquorice, Cultivated licorice
Botanical name   Glycyrrhiza glabra
Family   Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Height (m)   1.2
Diameter   1.00
Edible  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Wind tolerance   Moderate
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Sea berry

Sea berry

Details   Nitrogen fixing small tree with thorns producing copious small berries born directly on branches. High in vitimins. Hardy, wind and drought tolerant.
Common name   Sea Buckthorn, Seaberry
Botanical name   Hippophae rhamnoides
Family   Elaeagnaceae
Height (m)   6
Edible  
Fruit / berries  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Drought tolerance  
Wind tolerance   High
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most

 Related

Sea Buckthorn / Sea Berry seeds

Sea Buckthorn / Sea Berry seeds

Botanical name   Hippophae rhamnoides
Details   Supply update September 2021 - This seed will be unavailable for the foreseeable future as our last 2 shipments were destroyed by border biosecurity due to improper packaging by the supplier. Our own plants are unlikely to be producing viable seed for another season or 2. Check back here in autumn 2022.
Drought tolerance  
Edible  
Evergreen  
Fruit / berries  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     perennial  tree  berry  health 
Price   $4.90  20 seeds
Watch Out of stock
Crimson clover

Crimson clover

Details   Multipurpose nitrogen fixing legume and beneficial insect plant. Sow late summer for rapid bulky upright growth. It goes dormant in the cold of winter before resuming growth in spring up to 1m high and sporting a striking crimson bloom in early summer. Chop and dig in prior to flowering or leave for a valuable nectar rich food supply for bees and beneficial insects.
Common name   Crimson clover
Botanical name   Trifolium incarnatum
Height (m)   1
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Soil type   Most
Flowers   Red
Cape broom

Cape broom

Botanical name   Genista monspessulana
Height (m)   3
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Evergreen  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Drought tolerance  
Wind tolerance   Good
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most
Flowers   Yellow
Blue lupin

Blue lupin

Details   Grows well in most locations where it improves soil with organic matter and nitrogen. Bees enjoy the flowers.

Practical Plants
Plants for a future
Common name   Blue lupin
Botanical name   Lupinus angustifolius
Family   Leguminosae
Height (m)   1
Nitrogen fixer  
Tags     Bees 
Flowers   Blue
Rating  
Earthnut Pea

Earthnut Pea

Botanical name   Lathyrus tuberosus
Family   Leguminosae
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Edible  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Colour   Pink

Liquorice

Details   hardy to about -15°c
Common name   Liquorice
Botanical name   Glycyrrhiza glabra
Family   Leguminosae/Fabaceae
Height (m)   0.5
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Edible  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   July 03, 2013
Shade / Sun   Sun, part shade
Soil type   Sandy to Loamy
Colour   Purple/Lavender
spring vetchling or spring pea

spring vetchling or spring pea

Details   Very valuable spring colour is produced by one of the most lovely dwarf perennial peas, with masses of violet blue pea flowers in April and May. Some L. vernus var. albus (white) are also included in here.
Botanical name   Lathyrus vernus
Family   Leguminosae
Height (m)   0.2
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   July 22, 2013
Flowers   Pink
Oleaster, Russian Olive

Oleaster, Russian Olive

Details   Wind-resistant, quick-growing, deciduous shrub with silvery foliage and fragrant flowers, followed by edible, ornamental fruits.
Common name   Oleaster, Russian Olive
Botanical name   Elaeagnus angustifolia
Family   Elaeagnaceae
Height (m)   7
Edible  
Fruit / berries  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   July 11, 2013
Wind tolerance   High
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Flowers   Yellow
Carob

Carob

Details   A species of flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the pea family. It is widely cultivated for its edible pods, and as an ornamental tree in gardens. The ripe, dried pod is often ground to carob powder which is used as a substitute for cocoa powder.
Botanical name   Ceratonia siliqua
Family   Fabaceae
Height (m)   15
Seeds / nuts / tubers  
Evergreen  
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  

Red Alder

Common name   Red Alder
Date   July 07, 2010
Details   Broadly conical deciduous. Vigorous growth on hillsides as well as streamsides. Produces good hardwood timber for furniture and panelling. Planted for shelter. Red winter buds identify this alder.
Family   Betulaceae
Height (m)   25
Botanical name   Alnus Rubra
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Moist
Wind tolerance   Moderate

Bladder Senna

Colour   Yellow/Orange
Common name   Bladder Senna
Date   July 08, 2013
Details   Easily grown shrub with bright yellow flowers produced throughout the summer, followed by large, inflated seed pods.
Family   Leguminosae/Fabaceae
Flowers   June, July, August
Botanical name   Colutea arborescens
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  

Marlborough weeping broom

Common name   Marlborough weeping broom
Date   August 04, 2013
Details   Eastern Marlborough high on Seaward Kaikoura Range. Tall shrub with upright branches, topped by a canopy of weeping grey leafless branchlets. In December large hanging clusters of 10mm mauve flowers. Fixes nitrogen.
Height (m)   4.0
Botanical name   Chordospartium stevensonii
Nitrogen fixer  

California mountain mahogany

Common name   California mountain mahogany
Date   August 03, 2013
Details   Broadly spreading deciduous shrub or small tree. Birch-like leaves, creamy white flowers in spring, followed by seeds with long curly feathery tails. Seed from Central Otago, coping with weather extremes. Fixes nitrogen on its roots.
Family   Rosaceae
Height (m)   4.0
Botanical name   Cercocarpus betuloides
Nitrogen fixer  
Shade / Sun   Full sun

Pink tree broom

Common name   Pink tree broom
Date   August 10, 2013
Details   Broadly spreading, evergreen. Leafless pendulous dark green flattened stems. Attractive pink flowers around Christmas. Loved by small native bees. Small seed pods quickly form. Tolerates dry windy conditions. Fixes nitrogen.
Height (m)   4.0
Botanical name   Notospartium glabrescens
Nitrogen fixer  

Chinese wisteria

Details   Vigorous climber, twining anti-clockwise, deciduous. Will climb into a tree and can be trained on a pagola or fence. Fragrant mauve flowers in long racemes before the leaves.
Common name   Chinese wisteria
Botanical name   Wisteria sinensis
Family   Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Height (m)   7.0
Perennial  
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   August 13, 2013
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Moist
Flowers   Purple
Demand white clover

Demand white clover

Details   Dense stoloniferous and persistence clover type with good winter hardiness and improved winter, spring production. Small- Medium Leafed
Common name   White Clover
Botanical name   Trifolium repens
Variety   Demand
Family   Fabaceae
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   August 08, 2013
Colour   White
Icon "Semi Winter Active" Lucerne

Icon "Semi Winter Active" Lucerne

Common name   Icon Lucerne
Botanical name   Medicago sativa
Variety   Icon
Family   Fabaceae
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Date   August 08, 2013

 Related

Virgilia divaricata

Virgilia divaricata

Common name   blossom tree, amaqua tree
Botanical name   Virgilia divaricata
Family   Fabaceae
Details   Small to medium-sized trees, with a bushy, rounded to broadly conical growth habit with branches growing close to the ground. They are very fast-growing when young, attaining up to 1.3 m in a year, and reaching their full height in only a few years.
Diameter   3.00
Height (m)   8
Flowers   Pink
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full sun - part shade
Wind tolerance   Maritime
Russell Lupin

Russell Lupin

Botanical name   Lupinus polyphyllus
Details   This leafy plant can grow to a meter and a half with its tall colourful spires of flowers which are a nectar source for bumblebees and other insects. Being a legume, lupins fix nitrogen in the surrounding soil for use by other plants making them a useful as well as attractive addition to the garden or orchard.
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     flowers  N fixer  perennial  pink  purple  white  yellow 
Price   $3.20  20 seeds
Colour   mixed
Psoralea Pinnata

Psoralea Pinnata

Common name   fountain bush, penwortel, blue broom, Albany broom, African scurf pea, taylorina, blue psoralea, Dally pine
Botanical name   Psoralea Pinnata
Family   Fabaceae
Details   Native to South Africa. Looking a little like rosemary.
Flowers October to December extremely attractive to bees.
Flowering is followed by the production of small pods, each of these contain a single dark brown seed.
Establishes in Gumlands, dry shrubland, coastline, estuaries, bush tracks, forest margins, and fernland, especially in warmer areas.
Will even persist under pines and wattles. It would seem that it can successfully compete with established trees in difficult wet areas.
Flowers   blue, white, pale purple
Height (m)   1.5 - 4
Drought tolerance  
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full sun to part shade
Soil type   Prefers damp
Wind tolerance   Good
Tags     legume  nitrogen  succession 
False Indigo

False Indigo

Common name   desert false indigo, false indigo-bush, and bastard indigobush
Botanical name   Amorpha fruticosa
Family   Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Details   Found wild in most of the contiguous United States, southeastern Canada, and northern Mexico and introduced to Europe. Asia and other continents. It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant. It has minor edible use and some additional uses including: Bedding; Dye; Insecticide; Oil; Repellent; Shelterbelt; and Soil stabilization.
Diameter   1.00
Height (m)   5-6
Flowers   Purple
Drought tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Part sun - full shade
Soil type   Light, well drained
Wind tolerance   Tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure
Lathyrus odoratus

Lathyrus odoratus

Common name   Sweet Pea
Botanical name   Lathyrus odoratus
Details   Fast-growing, annual herb native only to southwest Italy and Sicily, but widely introduced as an ornamental. The ability of this species to tolerate a wide range of habitats, including disturbed areas, roadsides (in North Canterbury), secondary forests, as well as natural forests, means that it has the potential to spread much further than it has to date. This species has a climbing or sprawling habit, and consequently, has the capability to displace native species.

Currently it is considered invasive in New Zealand and ‘possibly invasive’ in the Dominican Republic. However, in its native range it is listed as Near Threatened, as it is subject to wild collection threat due to its commercial value.
Diameter   1.00
Flowers   Pink, Purple
Drought tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Tree medick

Tree medick

Common name   moon trefoil, shrub medick, alfalfa arborea, and tree medick
Botanical name   Medicago arborea
Family   Fabaceae
Details   Scrub and rocky hillsides in Europe - Mediterranean. Suited to Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Root nodules observed on young seedlings when planting out
Diameter   2.00
Height (m)   2
Flowers   Yellow
Evergreen  
Frost sensitive  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full sun
Soil type   Most
Wind tolerance   Maritime
Yellow bush / tree lupine

Yellow bush / tree lupine

Botanical name   Lupinus arboreus
Details   A fast growing woody lupine with yellow flowers and a sweet scent. Grows well in poor quality soil and makes a good source of biomass and quick low growing shelter and habitat. Short lived perennial bush or shrub that grows in poor conditions. Nitrogen fixing
Evergreen  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Tags     flowers  N fixer  shrub  yellow 
Price   $3.90  20 seeds
Thornless Honey Locust

Thornless Honey Locust

Botanical name   Gleditsia triacanthos f.inermis
Family   Thornless Honey Locust
Details   A very elegant spreading tree with bright green fern-like leaves. Excellent shade and autumn colour tree. Fixes nitrogen and the edible seed pods are valued for stock fodder. Thrives in the heat and dry. Thornless. Deciduous. Hardy.
Diameter   11.00
Height (m)   20
Drought tolerance  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  

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