It is known as the African scurf pea, but you could call it the sweet pea tree as it has scented pea-flowers.
When in flower, the tree looks as if hundreds of small blue butterflies have landed on its branches. The scent is intoxicating, with many saying that it smells like grape-flavoured bubble gum.
Flowers are most prolific in the spring but can continue to bloom for six months and into the autumn.
The greatest attribute of Psoralea pinnata is its tolerance of most soil types as long as it does not become waterlogged. It is also amazingly drought-tolerant, making it an ideal plant for our drying climate, needing little summer maintenance.
The evergreen foliage is needle-like and also sweetly aromatic when brushed past or crushed.
Psoralea pinnata is easily propagated from seed or cuttings. Each flower produces a single seed in a pod which can be collected in late summer.
Plants are fast-growing when young, which can result in them becoming leggy after five years. Propagation of new plants is required regularly to maintain young bushy plants.
• Can be seen in the Southern African Garden in the upper Botanic Garden.
• It reaches 3m in height and a similar spread in 10 years.
• Needs protection from hard frosts when young.
• It is in the pea family, Fabaceae.
Dylan Norfield is the geographic and arboretum collection curator at the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
