Rattle-box, Bird-flower, Rattle-pod
Crotalaria laburnifolia
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
An upright perennial plant. It is an evergreen shrub. It grows about 2 m tall. The leaves are yellowish-green. They have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are 3-5 cm long. The flowers are pea like with a light green keel and yellow standard. The fruit are yellow-brown pods. They are 3-15 cm long by 1 cm wide. There are 10-42 seeds that are orange-brown. They are 3-7 mm long.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in the tropics. It can grow in areas which have moderate moisture or are dry. It needs an average, well-drained soil. It needs full sun. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 550 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, Botswana, East Africa, Mozambique, North America, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Pod, leaves
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seeds. The seeds need treatment to break the hard seed coat. It can be grown from cuttings.