Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Aspalathus

Species:

Aspalathus spinosa subsp. spinosa

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

200 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct,nov

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Evergreen Shrub:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock after fire. Common in fire-prone fynbos ecosystems with 10-15 year fire return intervals.

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Scarification or smoke treatment improves germination. Seeds may benefit from heat shock treatment mimicking fire conditions.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI