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Conservatory Greenhouse

Kennedia prostrata

running postman

A ground-hugging trailer with softly hairy stems radiating from a woody rootstock. The evergreen leaves are made up of three leathery, wavy-margined leaflets and the flowers, which appear in spring, summer and sometimes autumn, are bright red and pea-like

Other common names

coral creeper
scarlet runner

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Ultimate height

Up to 10cm

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Trailing
Genus: Kennedia can be herbaceous or woody, twining climbers with trifoliate leaves and pea-like flowers which may be solitary, in pairs, umbels or racemes in the leaf axils
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

In frost-free areas grow outdoors in moist but well-drained soil in partial shade, with shelter from cold drying winds. Alternatively grow under glass in peat-free, loam-based compost with added sharp sand in bright, filtered light. Good in hanging baskets

Propagation

Propagate by seed or from softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants

Pruning

Pruning group 12

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly under glass

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility

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