#JCandtheTreeFeedaBee

About the Purple Pea Bush
Join us in getting our hands dirty through this #jcandthetreefeedabee challenge! All you need to do is grow a plant from the seeds we will give you with each CD or Vinyl purchase! Share your progress on our hashtag for everyone to enjoy and the chance to win a special prize.

One of the plants we chose for our Australian East Coast family is known as the 'Purple Pea Bush' (Hovea acutifolia). It was carefully selected because of its great benefits to our native bees and smaller birds. Native bees see purple better than any other colour so this is one of their favourites. Native birds also love these due to their dense bush that provides them with protection from predators and shelter from weather while attracting insects for them to feed on.

The idea behind this is to help encourage and educate people to spend more time appreciating and in nature while also helping our precious wildlife.


Sowing Your Purple Pea Bush Seeds
Preparing your seeds
  1. Place seeds in a container then cover with boiling water and allow to stand overnight
  2. Collect any seeds the following day that softened and swelled 1.5-2 time their original size. These can be sown.  Any seeds that float are usually infertile and can be discarded.
  3. Any seeds that didn't swell repeat steps 1 and 2.
  4. In the rare case that some seeds do not swell from boiling water rub seeds between two sheets of fairly find sandpaper to reduce thickness of seed coat.
  5. For any more information please go to http://anpsa.org.au/seed.html
Sowing your seeds – Spring or Autumn
  1. Find a seeding tray, a few small pots and place in warm shaded position
  2. Fill with soil from the ground or for best results a moist quality seed raising mix
  3. Sow by pressing seeds into soil surface
  4. Water immediately and continue watering every 1-2 days ensuring to keep evenly moist
  5. After 10-21 days you should see the beginning of your Purple Pea Bush plants!
  6. Transplant to final growing position of full sun or part shade in well-drained soil when 7cm.
 Picture
This native Australian shrub is found on the east coast of Australia from SE QLD down to the NSW central coast.  A beautiful addition to the garden the Purple Pea Bush prefers well-drained soil and partial shade. Naturally found in humid rainforest-like conditions it has also adapted well to temperate and sub-tropical environments. Growing between 1 - 4m tall this bush is covered in masses of purple flowers during winter and spring. Due to the fact that native bees see purple the best out of all the colours these are is usually abundant with native bees. It's dense bush is also perfect for small native birds providing protection from predators and also shelter from any harsh weather. The Purple Bush Pea has narrow, oval-shaped dark green leaves with young growth showing a rusty look with hairs. The flowers are followed by green pods to 15mm which ripen to black and pop audibly when they explode to release their seed. These pods are edible in while still young.

Suitable in partial shade
Moist but well-drained soil
Dimensions: height 1-4m
Flowers during Winter and Spring
Attracts native bees, insects and birds
Hardy and frost tolerant



Further Care Information...
  • Will grow in full sun but prefers dappled shade
  • Benefits from mulching and light pruning
  • Responds well to compost treated soil
  • Clay, sand and drought tolerant
  • Can tolerate light frost
  • Young seed pods are edible
  • Great as a screening plant in garden