Browse plants / Fabaceae
Black coral pea Kennedia nigricans
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
Very vigorous climber with unusual black-and-yellow pea flowers in spring.
A fast twining climber from south-west Western Australia with large, three-part leaves. Its striking black flowers with a yellow blotch appear in late winter and spring. It can smother other plants and has become a weed outside its range.
In the garden
- Leaves
- Large, three-part dark green leaves.
- Attracts
- Birds and pollinating insects
- Flowers
- Black pea flowers with a yellow blotch, in clusters.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Sandy, loam and clay
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Very drought tolerant
- Coast
- Sheltered coastal gardens
- Climate
- Dry summers (Mediterranean) and temperate
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Give it a strong fence or a large bank, well away from shrubs it could smother.
Pruning
Cut back hard after flowering to keep it in bounds.
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
- Western Australia
- Natural range
- Coastal south-west Western Australia.
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
- Kennedia nigricans 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.