Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Aspalathus

Species:

Aspalathus alpestris

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

100 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

sep,oct,nov

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Evergreen Shrub:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, other pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Requires fire for germination

Fire Notes:

Fynbos species that benefits from fire-stimulated germination through smoke compounds. Seeds germinate prolifically after fire events, with smoke-water dramatically increasing germination success.

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from smoke treatment or smoke-water to improve germination rates, typical of fynbos species. Scarification helps break seed coat dormancy.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI