Description
Polygala myrtifolia varies in form as it changes to adapt to the different areas it grows in, from the harshness of the coast to the drier inland climates.


http://www.kelnanplants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/polygala.jpg

 An evergreen shrub, the most common forms reach about 0.6 to 1.8 m in height with a few upright-growing stems and slender branches densely covered with leaves that resemble myrtle. The oval-shaped leaves are usually 25-50 mm long and up to 13 mm wide. The leaves are light green, dark green or slightly grey



https://www.botanikfoto.com/preview/image-photo-shrubby-milkwort-polygala-chamaebuxus-502318.jpg
The buds are green, flat, marked with dark veins and oval to half-moon-shaped. The lower buds open first. The flowers are carried in small clusters at the ends of short branches and look a bit like legume (pea or bean) flowers, but are actually quite different. Close inspection will reveal that although they have two wings and a keel, they lack the banner (also called standard) petal. 

https://brenlissaonlinenursery.com.au/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/image.jpg

All polygalas also have a showy, and very distinctive brush-like tuft on the keel. The showy petals, beautifully marked with darker veins, are usually in shades of mauve or purple, but can also be pink scarlet, or white. Polygala myrtifolia has blooms throughout the year with a peak in spring ( August to October) when the plants flower profusely. The fruit is a small, winged capsule.


https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Images/polygala_virgata/polygalavirgata2rfr.jpg

[source](http://pza.sanbi.org/polygala-myrtifolia)

# Polygala dalmaisiana (Sweet Pea Shrub)
Kingdom:   Plantae
(Unranked):        Angiosperms
(Unranked):        Eudicots
(Unranked):        Rosids
Order:       Fabales
Family:      Polygalaceae (Milkworts)
Genus:      Polygala
Species:     P. dalmaisiana
Binomial name: Polygala dalmaisiana
Synonyms: P. myrtifolia var. dalmaisiana
Common name: Sweet Pea Shrub, Polygala dazzler

Polygala dalmaisiana is an evergreen fast growing shrub from South Africa. It grows >1.5m tall with narrow about 2.5cm long dull green leaves and flowers that are a purplish pink with two winged petals that surround the whitish-purple lacy crest. In warm coastal conditions it can bloom all year-round.
It is thought to be a cross between Polygala oppositifolia and P. myrtifolia.
http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/2989/polygala_dalmaisiana__Sweet_pea_bush-005.JPG
http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/3009/polygala_dalmaisiana__Sweet_pea_bush-021.JPG
http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/2994/polygala_dalmaisiana__Sweet_pea_bush-007.JPG
http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/3004/polygala_dalmaisiana__Sweet_pea_bush-016.JPG
http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/new-exotic-trees/polygala-dalmaisiana-sweet-pea-shrub.html

This South African shrub to 2 m high is widely naturalised across southern Australia and has become invasive in coastal areas.

http://www.landsdaleplants.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Polygala-Dazzler1-550x412.jpg

 These shrubs are most readily recognised by their mauve-purple, pea-shaped flowers produced throughout most of the year, predominantly during spring. Flowers develop two-celled flattened seed capsules that ripen from green to papery brown. 

https://www.thegardener.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/polygala-fruticosa-101.jpg

Whilst the plainer form with greenish lower petals is frequently observed as weedy, the showier cultivar 'Grandiflora' with larger flowers and purple lower petals has also been observed readily spreading from plantings.


[source](http://www.growmeinstead.com.au/plant/polygala.aspx)

Common Name: sweet pea shrub   
Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Polygalaceae
Native Range: Garden origin
Zone: 9 to 11
Height: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: Rose-magenta flowers with white-purple crest
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Hedge
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Evergreen
Attracts: Hummingbirds
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Deer

[source](http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=362665&isprofile=0&)

Botanical Name	
Polygala myrtifolia
Family	
Polygalaceae - The false legume family.
Pronunciation	
poe-LIG-ah-lah mer-tih-FOE-lee-uh
Common Name(s)	
English: September Bush
Afrikaans: Augustusbossie; Blouertjie; Langelede
IsiXhosa: ulopesi; umabalabala
Plant Group	
Shrub 
Plant Size	
Small to Medium 
Small 
Very Small 
Position	
Light or Dappled Shade 
Partial Shade 
Sun 
General Information	
Drought Tolerance: High 
Evergreen 
Frost: Half-hardy 
Salt spray tolerant 
Sand tolerant 
Water Wise 
Wind Tolerant 
Specific Information	

http://www.plantbook.co.za/wp-content/uploads/plantbook.co.za_polygala-myrtifolia12.jpg

An attractive evergreen shrub that grows up to 2 meters, the September bush is able to adapt to most garden situations. It is fast growing, making it especially useful for new gardens. 

http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/2989/polygala_dalmaisiana__Sweet_pea_bush-005.JPG

Polygala myrtifolia in the wild varies in form according to its habitat and distribution. In some areas  it is a tough, loosely branched plant with relatively small, narrow leaves, while in others it is denser with larger, softer leaves. It flowers best in full sun, really dry conditions, poor soil and the least possible care - see natural habitat in photograph 6 above. Good in wild gardens, very dry gardens and exclusion zones

https://www.botanikfoto.com/preview/image-photo-shrubby-milkwort-polygala-chamaebuxus-502318.jpg
Flowers
Description	
similar to pea-flower

Season	
All Year 
Winter to Spring 
Colour	
mauve
purple
white
Growth Rate	
Very Fast 
Plant Uses	
Attracts bees, butterflies or other insects 
Border 
Filler 
Hedge 
Pioneer for new gardens 
Rock Garden 
Suitable for coastal gardens 
Suitable for seaside gardens 
Wild Garden 
Windbreak 
Distribution and Habitat	
from the Bokkeveld Mountains in the Western Cape to Kwazulu-Natal, on dunes, rocky slopes, in forests, along streams, in scrub and open grassland

Planting Suggestions	
The September bush will grow in most soil types. Polygala myrtifolia needs very little watering once established. It can be lightly pruned to shape, which encourages a more bushy habit and will keep it within bounds. 

http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/2989/polygala_dalmaisiana__Sweet_pea_bush-005.JPG

Left to itself, growth is a bit more lax. Fewer flowers are produced in shady spots. Useful in areas that change from full sun in summer to semi- or full shade in winter.

Medicinal Uses	
Polygala myrtifolia is known for its antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

[source](https://kumbulanursery.co.za/plants/polygala-myrtifolia)

You shared wonderful photography among us and your last photo was really nice. Your last photo impressed me. I saw a lot of photography, but your photography has been so beautiful and I would like to thank you for sharing the flowers I really love it

Congratulations @ctrl-alt-nwo!
Your post was mentioned in the [Steemit Hit Parade](https://steemit.com/hit-parade/@arcange/daily-hit-parade-20181004) in the following category:

* Comments - Ranked 5 with 135 comments

Polygala 'Alta Grande' (Large Butterfly Sweet Pea Shrub) - A shrub we expect to grow to 3 to 4 feet tall with a dense rounded habit. It is has gray-green round leaves very similar, but larger than Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly'and also has a very free flowering nature like it with the purple pea-like flowers, composed of two winged petals surrounding a whitish purple lacy crest that can be found on the plant nearly year-round. Plant in full sun or part shade with regular to little irrigation. Hardy to 15-20 F. Polygala fruticosa is a coastal species that can even be found within the splash zone. 

[source](https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=3707)

Polygala is a large genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Polygalaceae. They are commonly known as milkworts or snakeroots. The genus is distributed widely throughout much of the world[1] in temperate zones and the tropics.[2] The genus name Polygala comes from the ancient Greek "much milk", as the plant was thought to increase milk yields in cattle.
![polygala-myrtifolia1_2-1.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNwiqPnmcZzXZ6Z1WzwVN3LJvnwfqpEvvtLJr17NTXkB5/polygala-myrtifolia1_2-1.jpg)
Polygala includes annual and perennial plants, shrubs, vines, and trees.[1] The roots often have a scent reminiscent of wintergreen.[2] The leaf blades are generally undivided and smooth-edged, and are alternately arranged in most species. The inflorescence is a raceme or spikelike array of several flowers; the occasional species bears solitary flowers.
![Polygala_myrtifolia_1.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQ9Kk6Sw3BkNgk7ktqgjnZL1F4VZerLzag1wvvL6LQMa3/Polygala_myrtifolia_1.jpg)
The flower is bilateral in shape, with two large petal-like sepals on the sides, often called the "wings",[2] and three smaller sepals behind. There are three petals in shades of reddish purple, yellow or white, which are joined at the bases. The lower of the three is the keel petal, which is "boat-shaped, cucullate [hood-like], or helmet-shaped.
![p-8083-polygala-little-bibi.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmakj1X62ivG7GFTPy94AUghjBhcWKsJGZUjnGT4eFez3P/p-8083-polygala-little-bibi.jpg)
The lower of the three is the keel petal, which is "boat-shaped, cucullate [hood-like], or helmet-shaped".[1] The keel petal may have a beak or a fringe on the tip.[2] Stamens and style are within the curve of the keel petal. The fruit is a capsule, sometimes winged. It contains 2 seeds[1] which are usually black, hairy and tipped with a large white aril.[2] One polygala is the Fringed Polygala, found in coniferous forests.
![1200px-Polígala_de_hoja_de_mirto_(Polygala_myrtifolia),_Setúbal,_Portugal,_2012-05-08,_DD_02.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNs1r2TtXoACyh1gU7C6z7Y7zr8ooiiXxwyjo5cSg18uV/1200px-Pol%C3%ADgala_de_hoja_de_mirto_(Polygala_myrtifolia),_Set%C3%BAbal,_Portugal,_2012-05-08,_DD_02.jpg)![p little bibi 008.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfK1w3HfhAWHP3tkvaGiY4nooYXnezXnCHQPgHpsbYN7v/p%20little%20bibi%20008.jpg)
(Source)https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygala.

An attractive evergreen shrub that grows up to 2 meters, the September bush is able to adapt to most garden situations. It is fast growing, making it especially useful for new gardens. Polygala myrtifolia in the wild varies in form according to its habitat and distribution. In some areas  it is a tough, loosely branched plant with relatively small, narrow leaves, while in others it is denser with larger, softer leaves. It flowers best in full sun, really dry conditions, poor soil and the least possible care - see natural habitat in photograph 6 above. Good in wild gardens, very dry gardens and exclusion zones

[source](https://kumbulanursery.co.za/plants/polygala-myrtifolia)

Polygala myrtifolia and probably other South African Polygala species with asymmetrical flowers, pollen is first presented in a very unusual manner; eight sausage-like pollen masses are attached by their ends to the crook-shaped tip of the style (secondary pollen presentation). 


https://previews.123rf.com/images/jackf/jackf1709/jackf170904699/86435013-many-small-pink-flowers-polygala-myrtifolia-in-the-flowerbed.jpg

Floral morphology suggests that when the asymmetrical keel of the flower is pressed down by a sufficiently strong bee, the pollen presenter springs out and the stigma and pollen hit the visitor dorsally on the right flank pleuro-nototribic. 

http://saseedbank.com.au/uploads/11032017/Polygala%20myrtifolia%20%20pl%20Victor%20Harbor%20Ron%20Taylor.jpg

When the keel returns to its original position, the remaining pollen is moved into the rostrum of the keel. In subsequent visits pollen is squeezed out of there by a pocket at the tip of the style. This tertiary pollen presentation follows the piston mechanism 

[source](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629915307626)

Very spoiled eyes when looking at him.

I also captured beautiful flower photos in my opinion :)

Very interesting petals of this plant. I wonder what function does the white bristle on the edge of the central petal perform? This is an open pistil and stamens?
You surprise every time with new colors for me! Thank you!

This South African shrub to 2 m high is widely naturalised across southern Australia and has become invasive in coastal areas. These shrubs are most readily recognised by their mauve-purple, pea-shaped flowers produced throughout most of the year, predominantly during spring. Flowers develop two-celled flattened seed capsules that ripen from green to papery brown. Whilst the plainer form with greenish lower petals is frequently observed as weedy, the showier cultivar 'Grandiflora' with larger flowers and purple lower petals has also been observed readily spreading from plantings.

[source](http://www.growmeinstead.com.au/plant/polygala.aspx)

Facts
The September bush is a common, widespread, pioneer shrub that flowers on and off all year round, peaking in the spring.
The flowers resemble that of a pea-flower and close at night time.
This plant was believed to enhance milk production in livestock.


https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/images/fringedpolygala/polygala_paucifolia_plant_lg.jpg
Where it grows
Occurs naturally in South Africa, from the Bokkeveld Mountains near Clanwilliam in the Western Cape to Kwazulu-Natal. Commonly found growing on dunes, rocky slopes, in forests, along streams, in scrub and open grassland.

http://cultivatingqualityplants.com/wp-content/uploads/polygala-myrtifolia-1.jpg

Useful links
Plantz Africa  
Queensland Government, Weeds of Australia 
Glossary
Capsule: dry fruit that opens by valves, slits or pores to release seeds (dehiscent) and is composed of two or more united carpels (the basic unit of the female sexual organ).


https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/images/polygala-vulgaris1.jpg
Keel: lower petals resembling the bottom of a boat.
Obovate: two-dimensionally egg-shaped with widest part at the apex.
Raceme: a flowering structure where the individual flowers are clearly stalked, the newest and last to open being at the apex.

[source](https://www.edenproject.com/learn/for-everyone/plant-profiles/september-bush)

Polygala myrtifolia
POLYGALACEAE	(POLYGALA FAMILY)
SEPTEMBER BUSH (E)	SEPTEMBERBOSSIE (A)	
NATIVE TO SOUTHERN AFRICA
SHRUB, TREE	
TREE NO.: 302.1
 EVERGREEN
 FULL SUN
 FROST TOLERANT
 MEDIUM WATER REQUIREMENTS
 FAST GROWER
 ATTRACTS BIRDS
 ATTRACTS INSECTS

[source](http://www.plantbook.co.za/polygala-myrtifolia/)

so many flowers I haven´t eben seen in Australia. Good inspiration to plant some new things in the Garden of my friends! They look great

wow...that was a cool flower crowded with beatiful flowers i love it!😍😍

<center>**Looks the same shape but that flower is more beautiful than mine**![IMG_20180901_233633.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVUtn4JtouFZ1VA6Cbudtwc6sGPCjAPZEYh4NAc7FwoAJ/IMG_20180901_233633.JPG)</center>

Thank you for posting @ctrl-alt-nwo.

Appreciate learning the botanical name.....'Westringia'.

Lovely photographs of this lovely plant in it's flowering season.

All the best to you.

Oh yeah, great plant @ctrl-alt-nwo and Pyrostegia venusta is a perennial, evergreen vine that comes from tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America. It is widely spread in open fields, shrublands, edges of forests and coastal areas, and is often planted in gardens. It climbs or creeps at fast rate, with length range of around 12m.



It likes slightly acidic soil but tolerate neutral, slightly alkaline or saline conditions. It grows and flowers best in full sunlight. It doesn't flower well in hot and humid conditions, but it is all covered in bloom for long time when season is dry and temperatures are cooler. If your plants don't produce many flowers, pruning might help. It is also important not to overfeed Pyrostegia. In very fertile and moist soil it will grow rapidly, but you won't see many flowers on it, if any, even during the peak of it's flowering season. It copes well with extreme heat and can survive slight frost. In regions with cold winters it can be grown as a pot plant.

![2ad0727538dcab4db921e39176bd4ba7.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRepM25s4KRGDKeRER6aRWzXYcRjXKWmhegaq6e1v7YBU/2ad0727538dcab4db921e39176bd4ba7.jpg)

![cdfcb2672c9085df3631d559c4941c8f.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmX9iphhbXd53jPUAVKkcSMLuYDsu5RrVT5re28JoFPJDY/cdfcb2672c9085df3631d559c4941c8f.jpg)

![6d604f4f6bb4cf620513e9181d648259.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmV8g5RgGJv7kvHZipUgqB7XN2VDAJke7pChJRLY3i7CFv/6d604f4f6bb4cf620513e9181d648259.jpg)

Polygalas, also known as Milkworts or Snakeroots, are a large genus spread throughout the world as they are adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. Flowers are normally mauve and the rounded green leaves are a contrast to the distinctive 'pea like' flowers which are borne in profusion on these compact sub-shrubs. Our selection, Polygala 'Little Bibi' is somewhat special in that it holds a neat 'topiary' form even without a lot of trimming. This is a great asset to the busy gardener. 

<a href="https://www.google.co.id/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.pma.com.au/Plants/Plant.aspx%3Fplant_id%3D2144398700&ved=2ahUKEwif57_n4-vdAhXBbSsKHYrfDM4QFjALegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3-08SOBTUOAVkHZKnbFZ7Y
http://erudisi.com">Source</a>

They looks super elegant nice to have around for sure thanks for sharing about this :)

Polygala myrtifolia is a hardy, large, evergreen shrub with glossy green leaves.

http://plantspk.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/07-04-2012_polygala2.jpg
It bears abundant, mauve pea-like flowers almost all year round with a flush in late winter.

It makes a decorative small tree if pruned into a standard and makes a beautiful floriferous screening plant. It can also be pruned into a formal hedge.

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/images/fringedpolygala/polygala_paucifolia_plant_lg.jpg
Attracts Carpenter Bees to the garden.

The seeds are relished by laughing doves and other seed-eating birds.

Grows in sun or semi-shade but flowers best in full sun and makes an excellent container plant.

[source](http://www.randomharvest.co.za/South-African-Indigenous-Plants/Show-Plant/PlantId/180/Plant/Polygala%20myrtifolia)

One flower garden that fits on the front yard because the flowers are beautiful and gives a lively and lively impression. I really like this color..
 ![image](https://img.esteem.ws/943bghud6u.jpg)
Thanks @ctrl-alt-nwo

@ctrl-alt-nwo, Third picture is truly speaking the beauty of this plant and it's flowers. And genuinely speaking these kind of plants and those flowers which spreading the colourful essence in **Environment** will going to make our outer experience so pure and organic.

And whenever we see the **Plantation** in row specially plantation in row but different and diversified plants gives the breathtaking essence, and it also encourage others to do **Home Based Plantation**.

Wishing you an great day and stay blessed. 🙂

Common Name: sweet pea shrub   
Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Polygalaceae
Native Range: Garden origin
Zone: 9 to 11
Height: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: Rose-magenta flowers with white-purple crest
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Hedge
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Evergreen
Attracts: Hummingbirds
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Deer
Garden locations

[source](http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=362665&isprofile=0&)

A little bit about polygala
If you’re looking for a small, compact, fast-growing, colourful and hardy shrub, polygala ticks all the boxes. For most of the year, you’ll find polygala awash with eye-catching pink or purple petals, making it perfectly suited to mass planting with a splash of colour. 


https://www.palms-exotics.co.uk/images/user/90-240317221010.jpg

It also makes a brilliant border plant and with its compact growing habit, looks fab in a pot too. Varieties like ‘Little Polly’ naturally form a small, neat, round shape that’s ideal for hedging. 
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3k5LCPrgOI8/maxresdefault.jpg

Other varieties, like grandiflora, grow larger and more freely. You can tell a polygala by the unique and charming little feathery tuft that sits within its pea-flower-like petals. As a great cut flower, you can enjoy polygala in your home too.

https://mygardenorg.s3.amazonaws.com/plants/5325.jpg

 

Botanical name: polygala

Common names: milkwort, Seneca, snakeroot, sweat pea shrub

Height: 1 – 2 metres Width: 1 – 2 metres

Ideal spot: Polygala likes light, well-draining but not wet soil. It flowers best in full sun but can also tolerate dappled light. Polygala grows well in coastal spots.

Where to grow polygala? Polygala is happy in the garden or in a container.

When does polygala bloom? Polygala flowers year-round. Flowers are usually followed by small seed pods.

[source](https://www.flowerpower.com.au/fact-sheets/polygala/)

Very beautiful plants. The first photo is amazing. Your photos are better and better with every time.

Very good-looking flowers there @ctrl-alt-nwo and they do resemble like a flowering pea pod. The color is beautiful with its purple shade.

Polygala myrtifolia "Riviersonderend" is a miniature form of the well-known Polygala myrtifolia. Hardy, evergreen, drought-resistant shrublet growing to only 1m tall. It has bright-green, broadly-lanceolate leaves.

The magenta flowers are borne in lax terminal heads throughout summer and autumn, and attract Carpenter Bees, butterflies and other tiny, pollinating insects to the garden. The seeds are relished by Laughing Doves.

This handsome compact form is an ideal alternative for the garden that is too small for the large tree-like form of the Polygala myrtifolia. A useful garden and container plant.

Prune regularly. Enjoys well-composted soil in a sunny or lightly shaded position.

Size: up to 100cm
Wildlife:
Uses:
Distribution:
Coastal areas - Western Cape

[source](http://www.randomharvest.co.za/South-African-Indigenous-Plants/Show-Plant/PlantId/489?Plant=Polygala%20myrtifolia%20Riviersonderend)

I really liked this pink color. It soothes me

Variety Profile
This exciting new Polygala introduction, offering excellent garden attributes, making it ideal for a wide range of conditions.

A naturally dwarf evergreen shrub with glaucous grey green leaves. It flowers heavily with its main flush in spring/summer, and continuously throughout the remainder of the year (depending on location and local conditions) with pretty mauve/purple pea like flowers.

Heat and frost hardy, this tough plant is ideal for a wide range of domestic and commercial landscapes.

Cultural Care
Plant in a well drained soil. Prefers a full sun location for optimum results. although naturally compact, prune to shape if desired after main flowering period, and feed with a slow release general purpose fertiliser.

Little Bibi has low water use once established in the garden or landscape.

[source](https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant.cshtml?plant_id=2946)

I love that flower, I love that color and most importantly I came to know today that the color is well known as "Mauve" and this is what is the take for me from your blog.

![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUqfEuMMi44hVKckrJ9uc3cx1UhsULYd3JjRw2fzxa4hS/image.png)

![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQ7Qp7vZRtjoEsNEUUoUYJfVDEbnFHVabVMFE4jwhpLLb/image.png)

![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaztSFS6Apjh45q3tLZQoLayeSz9dh22aBDrZQZ7zDf5k/image.png)

![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZ5ShcCkv2XfnMYPfXrJu3MnDSKpEDnXUSnV5kLgKAkgV/image.png)

Polygala of the milkwort family is a genus featuring over 500 species of plants (annuals, herbaceous perennials, subshrubs and shrubs) which are widely distributed in warm to temperate regions throughout the world. Plants are generally noted for having alternate lanceolate leaves and pea-like often showy flowers in terminal clusters/racemes.

Polygala x dalmaisiana, commonly called sweet pea bush or milkwort, is a loose, leggy, fast-growing, rounded to spreading, bushy evergreen shrub which typically grows to 3-5’ tall and as wide. It is reportedly a hybrid between two South African species (P. opposistifolia and P. myrtifolia). Stems are clad with ovate dull green leaves (1” long). Terminal racemes of rose-magenta pea-like flowers with two winged petals surrounding a white purple crest bloom summer to frost, but bloom extends to almost year round in mild frost-free climates with minimum temperatures of 40 degrees F. Flowers resemble those of sweet pea.

Genus name comes from the Greek words polys meaning much and gala meaning milk in reference to a belief dating back to the medieval era that ingestion of plant leaves by certain nursing mammals resulted in increased milk production.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=362665&isprofile=0&

Sweet Pea Bush

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/sites/default/files/2017-08/animals_hero_sweet-pea-bush.jpg

The Polygala genus includes more than 300 species of flowering plants that grow mostly in temperate and tropical regions around the world. The one we call sweet pea bush was cultivated as a cross of the myrtle-leaf milkwort P. myrtifolia, a common South African shrub of the Cape fynbos (FINE-bose) region. (The term fynbos comes from the Afrikaans words for "fine bush," a reference to the low stature of most plants that grow there.) Sweet pea bush is a popular landscaping plant and attracts hummingbirds.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/polygala_myrtifolia.jpg

CHARACTERISTICS
This shrub grows in a loosely rounded mound that can be about 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) high and just as wide. Its attractive, grayish-green leaves are small—about an inch (2.5 centimeters) long—and they provide a pretty green canvas for this shrub's brilliant display of purplish-pink, sweet pea-shaped flowers. Each blossom is made up of two winged petals surrounding a lacy center.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/sites/default/files/styles/image_grid_full_width/public/2017-08/sweet%3Dpea-bush-02_0.jpg?itok=xYYVVTQq

CULTIVATION
The sweet pea bush flourishes in a wide range of climates and locations. It is frost-hardy to at least 24 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celsius), and grows quickly in well-draining soil, in full sun or part shade. Once established, it requires little irrigation, which makes it a good choice for water-smart California gardens. Sweet pea bushes brighten up a garden with their profusion of flowers, which bloom spring through fall in colder climates and may bloom year-round in milder zones. They can be propagated by cuttings.

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNagXmHKgtrY5YxA8u6wv492nV3MmZLAicuscRXmsq4Wf/new7%20108.jpg

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/plants/sweet-pea-bush