Browse plants / Fabaceae
Eggs and bacon Dillwynia retorta
Also called Heathy parrot-pea
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, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, not flowering
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Fine-leaved shrub covered in yellow-and-red 'eggs and bacon' pea flowers in spring.
A sandstone shrub with twisted, needle-like leaves and masses of yellow pea flowers marked with red, the classic 'eggs and bacon' of the bush. Its dense growth shelters small birds.
In the garden
- Flowers
- Yellow pea flowers with red markings.
- Leaves
- Short, twisted, needle-like leaves.
- Attracts
- Pollinating insects, butterflies and shelter for small wildlife
Growing conditions
- Climate
- Subtropical and temperate
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Sandy and loam
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed and cuttings
Planting
Sun or part shade in sandy, well-drained soil.
Pruning
Trim lightly after flowering to keep it bushy.
Care
No fertiliser needed: like most peas it fixes its own nitrogen. Water in long dry spells.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Order
- Fabales
- Native to
- New South Wales and Queensland
- Natural range
- Sandstone heath and woodland of NSW and south-east Queensland.
Where to buy
Specialist native nurseries.
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
- Dillwynia retorta on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.