Sturt’s desert pea

plant

Also known as: Swainsona formosus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Sturt's desert pea (Clianthus speciosus) is a sprawling shrubby perennial native to dry parts of Australia. It is known for its scarlet flowers, which are marked with black. This plant belongs to the genus Clianthus, which features shrubs with brilliant red flowers, giving the genus its name from the Greek words for "glory" and "flower".12

The plant has pinnately compound leaves with numerous leaflets. It thrives in warm, dry climates with sandy, well-drained soils and can be trained as a vine. Sturt's desert pea is sometimes grafted onto the rootstock of Clianthus puniceus, a related species from New Zealand that is more resistant to root rot.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Clianthus
The related Sturt’s desert pea (Swainsona formosa, formerly C. formosus), native to Australia, is often grafted onto C. puniceus rootstock, which is less susceptible to root rot.
Read More
The related Sturt’s desert pea (Swainsona formosa, formerly C. formosus), native to Australia, is often grafted onto C. puniceus rootstock, which is less susceptible to root rot.
Read More