About Indigofera australis Willd.
Indigofera australis Willd. has an upright natural growth habit, reaching up to 2 meters (7 feet) tall, with flexible stems. Its leaves are pinnate, openly spaced along the stems, around 10 centimeters long, and have a velvety smooth texture. Flower color is unusual, ranging through soft purple hues that are often pinkish, which sets it apart from other species that flower at the same time. The smooth flowers grow in short spires in the leaf axils; they are produced freely and are showy, outlining the curves of the stems. Flowering can open as early as July and continue through November in a cool spring. This species can regrow and sucker from rootstocks and lateral roots after fire. Indigofera australis is a very common and widespread species in Australia, growing in a wide range of different habitats. It occurs mainly in open woodland and eucalypt forest, but can also be found in desert and on the margins of rainforest. It is widespread across southern Australia, ranging from southeastern Western Australia to northeastern Queensland. This species provides excellent habitat value for wildlife. Like many plants in the pea family, Indigofera australis is nitrogen fixing. Its flowers are a source of pollen and nectar for many native insects, including bees and wasps. It is also a useful food plant for the larvae (caterpillars) of several butterfly species: Freyeria trochylus (Grass Jewel), Eurema hecabe (Common Grass Yellow), Lampides boeticus (Long-tailed Pea Blue), and Zizina labradus (Common Grass-blue). Its attractive flowers and ability to adapt to growth in different situations make it suitable for use as an ornamental plant in Australia, though it may become invasive. First Nations Australians are recorded to crush its leaves and add them to water to kill or stun fish and eels. The leaves and stems produce a yellow-fawn dye when alum is used as a mordant.
