Full Sun
Medium
Plant Podalyria calyptrata along a boundary to provide an informal hedge or screen. With its attractive foliage and flowers, it can be planted in the mixed border, or as a backdrop. It makes a handsome specimen plant, or rewarding container plant in a large pot. To achieve a more compact, bushy specimen, plant it in full sun and pinch back young growth. In a shady spot it will grow taller and be more sparsely branched.
Podalyria calyptrata is quick and easy to grow. It does best in well-drained, well-composted, acidic soil and in summer rainfall areas it must be watered well in autumn and winter. It does not thrive in alkaline soils. Podalyria calyptrata is wind-tolerant and drought tolerant, but it performs best in a well-watered position. Although Podalyria calyptrata comes from a frost-free climate, it does tolerate frost; it is considered to be frost hardy on the Highveld and should survive outdoors in Zone 9 (-7 to -1 o C/20-30 o F) . In cold climates it is best grown in the cool glasshouse.
Podalyria calyptrata is best propagated by seed. Podalyrias do not root easily from cuttings, and the plants are never as strong as seed-grown plants. Seed can be sown in autumn or spring. Soak the seed in warm to hot water (water that you can put your hand in) until the water cools and sow. Podalyrias like most legumes are very susceptible to pre-emergence damping off and treating the seed and/or the seed trays with a fungicide to combat this will improve the percentage of surviving seedlings. Sow the seed into plugs, or into individual bags or pots, or prick them out while they are still in the cotyledon-stage i.e. before the first pair of true leaves develops. We find that this minimizes root disturbance and maximizes the number of surviving seedlings.
As Sweetpea bush is tender, ensure temperatures are mild enough to plant out - wait until after your last frost date to be on the safe side.These estimates for how long Sweetpea bush takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
The genus Podalyria was named by Lamarck after Podalirius/Podalyrius (Latin) from Podaleirios (Greek), the son of Asklepios, god of healing. According to the Iliad, Podaleirios and his brother Machaon were physicians to the Greek army during the Trojan Wars. The specific name calyptrata comes from the characteristic cap that covers the flower buds, the Latin calyptrata meaning ‘bearing a cap-like covering’.
Podalyria calyptrata appears to be purely decorative as no records of other uses could be traced.
Large pink keurtjie, Water blossom-pea, Keur (afrikaans), Keurtjie (afrikaans), Keurblom (afrikaans), Ertjiebos (afrikaans), Waterkeurtjie (afrikaans)