Rattlepod, Bluebush Pea
Crotalaria eremaea
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A bushy shrub. It grows 0.2-1 m high and spreads 0.5-1.5 m wide. It spreads by suckers. The stems are branched and hairy. The leaves have 1-3 leaflets. The leaflets are 2-5 cm long by 0.5-2 cm wide. They are oval, blunt and silvery grey. The flowering clusters are 10-15 cm long and loose. The flowers are 1-1.5 cm long and yellow. The fruit is a pod 2-3 cm long. It is inflated and silvery grey.
There are about 550 Crotalaria species. They are mostly tropical.
Where it is found
It grows on sand hills and flood plains along inland streams in Australia. It suits arid and warm inland areas. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Gum
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed, root cuttings or suckers. It can spread by suckers and be cut back to regrow.