Purple Coral Pea
Hardenbergia violacea
Deep purple pea flowers cascade along twining stems through the coldest months. One of the first splashes of colour after winter's grey. A climber that scrambles through other shrubs or trails along the ground. The flowers attract early-flying bees.
Climate context
Requires both cool temperatures (15–18°C) and short days to flower—a precise dual trigger that makes it sensitive to warming winters.
Seasonal indicator
- Flowering during Waring (Wombat season).
When to look
Monthly flowering observations in Victoria. Data from iNaturalist.
Has the timing shifted?
Peak flowering has shifted approximately 1.5 weeks earlier since 2015 — from Mid September to Mid September.
Based on citizen science observations. Many factors affect timing — sample sizes are small and patterns may not reflect true phenological change.
Where to look
Observations along the Merri Creek corridor (Fawkner to Dights Falls). Data from iNaturalist.
Historical record
Earliest Victorian specimen: 1842.
Frontier violence
A period of frontier conflict, forced removals, and the destruction of traditional food sources. George Augustus Robinson served as 'Chief Protector of Aborigines' while overseeing policies that confined people to reserves.
Learn more: Chief Protector records
Specimen data from the Atlas of Living Australia. The collection of botanical specimens occurred alongside — and sometimes in service of — the colonisation of Wurundjeri Country.