Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Aspalathus

Species:

Aspalathus obtusata

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

100 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct

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:

Seeds require heat or smoke from fire for germination. The species resprouts vigorously after fire and is adapted to the fire-prone fynbos ecosystem with 10-15 year fire return intervals.

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–45 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from smoke treatment or boiling water scarification to break seed coat dormancy, mimicking natural fire conditions.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI