Browse plants / Fabaceae
Black bean Castanospermum australe
Also called Moreton Bay chestnut
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
Glossy rainforest tree with orange-red pea flowers on the branches and big bean pods.
A dense, shady rainforest tree with glossy, divided leaves. In late spring and summer, clusters of orange and red pea flowers grow straight from the branches and are visited by honeyeaters and lorikeets. Large pods follow, holding big seeds that are poisonous.
In the garden
- Attracts
- Birds
- Flowers
- Clusters of orange and red pea flowers on the older branches.
- Leaves
- Large, glossy, dark green divided leaves.
Growing conditions
- Climate
- Tropical, subtropical and temperate
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Sandy, loam and clay
- Drainage
- Copes with occasional wet
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Some dry spells
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Sun or part shade in deep, fertile soil, with room for a large tree.
Pruning
Little pruning needed.
Care
Water young trees through dry spells and mulch well. Slow at first.
Safety
The seeds are poisonous to people and animals if eaten raw. Collect fallen pods where children or pets play.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Order
- Fabales
- Native to
- New South Wales and Queensland
- Natural range
- Rainforest along rivers of eastern Queensland and northern NSW.
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Castanospermum australe on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
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