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Fabaceae
Sturt's Desert Pea
Swainsona formosa
endurance and sacrifice.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Swainsona
- Native to
- Australia (arid interior, South Australia, Western Australia)
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- annual
- Height
- 0.5-1 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- sandy, dry, alkaline
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 9-11
- Lifespan
- annual
Did you know
- Sturt's Desert Pea is the floral emblem of South Australia, chosen for its striking beauty amid harsh desert conditions.
- An Aboriginal legend tells of the flower springing from the blood of lovers separated by tribal law — the black boss represents grief.
- The species is named after explorer Charles Sturt, who encountered it during his 1844–1845 expedition into the Australian interior.
- Seeds can remain dormant in dry soil for years, then germinate explosively after rare desert rains.
- The distinctive glossy black 'boss' at the center of each flower is actually a swollen, nectar-rich structure that attracts birds.
Color meanings
0
endurance
1
love
2
blood of the land