Dolichos pea


Photo: William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, via bugwood.org		Dolichos pea Dipogon lignosus* Climbing and Ground Cover Plants South Australia Region

	Dolichos is a woody creeper that was often planted to cover backyard outhouses in the last century, hence the common name of dunny vine. The stems are wiry and develop a woody base. Leaves have three stalked leaflets. The flowers are like small wisteria flowers, mauve-pink in racemes to 20 cm long. They are followed by flattened pods to 5 cm long, each with 4-6 hard round seeds.

HOW IT SPREADS Dolichos persists at old garden sites and has been spread by the dumping of garden waste. It invades many types of vegetation from coastal dunes to forest margins where it can collapse trees with its weight and forms a dense smothering cover that prevents regeneration.





Another suggested alternative: sweet apple-berry (Billardiera cymosa)

Alternative Plants


Photo: Austraflora		Edna Walling Blue Bells ™ Billardiera heterophylla x parviflora Climbing and Ground Cover Plants

	This sterile form of the popular Bluebell creeper is a small dense shrub that will twine along posts or walls. It has small blue flowers in summer and thrives in full-sun or light shade in freely draining soils. Ideal for containers, this form cannot set fertile seed so is a safe alternative.

Photo: © immij pty ltd		Native Sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea 'Happy Wanderer' Climbing and Ground Cover Plants

	This is a vigorous, popular and generally hardy Australian native plant that grows to about 1 m high by 1 m wide. The pea shape flowers appear in late winter and early spring and are violet in colour. It can be used as a ground cover and will climb on a support. It prefers an open sunny position. Pink and white flowering cultivars are also available.

Photo: Macbird Floraprint		Native Wisteria Hardenbergia comptoniana Climbing and Ground Cover Plants

	A hardy, vigorous, evergreen, native climber that produces profuse small, pea shape flowers in July, August and September. Flowers tend to be purple, however lilac-pink and white varieties are also available. Great for training over fences and suitable in semi-shaded positions.