Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Sphenostylis

Species:

Sphenostylis stenocarpa

Growth Characteristics

Height:

200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink, white

Native Range

Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

fertile, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

native to tropical Africa, prefers warm climates

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Scarification improves germination rates. Seeds may benefit from soaking in warm water for 12-24 hours before planting.

Propagation data sourced from Claude AI