Green bird flower (Crotalaria cunninghamii)

Product description

The interesting green flowers of this plant closely resemble a small hummingbird, hence the name green bird flower. The flowers are mainly green, but can have purple spots and stripes on the 'wings'. The plant is pollinated by bees, birds and the occasional small rodent in search of nectar. It is not clear whether the flowers happen to resemble a hummingbird, as this is a suitable shape for nectar accessibiliy of honey bird beaks. Or whether they deliberately resemble a living bird to avoid being eaten for instance by herbivores. In its native range, the arid regions of Australia, the plant grows as a perennial shrub to about 2-3 metres tall, but in a pot it reaches about a height of 1.5 metres. The plant prefers a sunny spot, well-drained soil and low nutrients. It is reasonably drought-resistant and can grow outdoors in the summer months. 

Sowing description: Briefly pour hot water over the seeds or scarify one spot with sandpaper. Then soak for an hour in lukewarm water and sow in a mixture of sand and sowing soil (3:1).