A graceful, open shrub with soft, pinnate leaves and clusters of pink pea-like flowers held on softly arching thin stems.

One of my favourite Australian native plants, the Austral Indigo is an open upright shrub. I have seen it described as straggly, but in a garden setting with regular pruning when young you can encourage a more branched plant that I think would be better described as graceful with an upright weeping habit.

The flowers in spring are showy in various shades of pink mostly. The beautiful pink pea flowers and graceful sprays of pretty rounded leaves make this one of my favourite native plants. Perhaps even in the top 10!

It naturally grows as a mid storey shrub in open forests, so I find it works well in lightly shady positions. But it can also grow in sunnier locations if you prefer. It would look beautiful planted along the fence line in a cottage garden or under large trees. It is also useful for erosion control and would make a stunning feature shrub or even a bonsai.

Tolerates a range of soils but thrives in well-drained conditions. Drought-tolerant once established. Unbothered by most pests and tolerates humidity but does not like to be waterlogged.