Plant That Looks Like a Hummingbird: Australian Green Birdflower (Crotalaria Cunninghamii)

Not so very long ago, the Internet was once the domain of cats – cute, cuddly, or grumpy. But now the people click for plants. Amongst the succulents and pothos, a little-known shrub called the Crotalaria cunninghamii recently blossomed into popularity.

[{"selector":"#anim-7a739f70-7585-4779-b194-f2aa19f3f2d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a5d197c-eff0-4992-9bd7-6dc4b354bdc8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(76.92307%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12b47ced-7b5f-471d-bdcb-2c6df3d8b391","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5772678-771e-4165-919c-5de5f4afa02a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-812.19489%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-111bcf39-c087-4fa8-a135-e0b47d14f305","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5be0e79f-c911-4192-8ec2-3a47c542d22b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-161.05264%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b94e52a-e98b-4e6f-aaf9-4b90855b4ec9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee5eb52b-9e47-4dc0-af01-b00d9d6bdbc6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -155.00687%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Arrow CONTINUE READING Learn more

Today, we will survey the plant’s habitat, uses, and growing preferences. Plus, we’ll consider whether or not a plant would evolve to look like a bird.

[{"selector":"#anim-463f3f7d-5d5a-451a-ae21-c06b3618ecb3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-715bf0b8-f3cb-422a-aa36-75cc52cb997a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.62651%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Quick Intro to Green Birdflower

[{"selector":"#anim-535afbdb-62cc-417d-9bac-e3ef224ba968","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e459369a-5c9c-4561-82ba-9c0bf0a6136e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06230325-9fae-4c56-b994-7df731ccaf77","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The green birdflower is an upright shrub that grows up to three meters tall. It produces greenish-gray leaves on thin, velvety branches. Learn more

Where Crotalaria Cunninghamii Grows

[{"selector":"#anim-acdd7570-0613-48b6-b41b-bc511b763f91","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b83f351-9a5c-4a9e-af31-d5a6d9dc39c6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43cc7e96-c37e-490c-9aee-54be9332c14c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In the wild, the green birdflower thrives in coastal and desert regions. It often grows in well-drained soil, such as those found on dunes, sandplains, shrubland, grassland, savannah woodlands, and drainage lines. Learn more

Can You Grow Regal Birdflower in the United States?

[{"selector":"#anim-b5786184-d501-40fe-a3b5-89a04dbcd7ca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08f3e2ec-fdff-4fe0-b9c7-ce4b9edfe814","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3971e8b3-bf02-4267-8d2a-224fc899dcbe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The green birdflower does not tolerate cold weather, so its growth is somewhat limited in the US. If you’re interested in growing this beautiful plant, check your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Learn more

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Plant?

[{"selector":"#anim-3e8a24d7-47a8-4010-acf8-453f44003f67","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-590b9bff-0805-4747-9ad2-1b4500e13aa4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3d335f0-aa3b-4fa7-88ab-a71783720a81","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Some posters cited mimicry to explain why the plant evolved to look like hummingbirds. A term from evolutionary biology, mimicry refers to when one plant or animal has evolved to look like another plant or animal – usually for some survival benefit. Learn more

Swipe up to read the full article.

[{"selector":"#anim-b91df9a2-c8b7-4bff-84b9-32022dc86fb2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a8ec01f9-518f-45d0-b7a2-230015e2ecdd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 270.61581%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-207c7700-bb2b-44b3-9e98-ad7e2c2a58e4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(7.81250010407085%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-00e8fa4d-7d9a-42c0-ac43-dd72bf40d87f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-227dee37-f521-4542-bece-10c7d359cdee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(259.40593%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bffded59-8427-42b2-badb-25615351ffd9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0295f145-4831-4d7b-935f-a2b3dd410f0f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(42.07921%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-236cca88-1605-42fa-b72e-1c9bdc58a94d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4dd06f37-b854-4400-a96e-cc1f87c5edbe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-44.55445%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e62583a-d651-4623-a1fc-6908e23114a6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b868f89-b123-458a-8798-ad8e93b48111","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-260.89109%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-deb803c3-ad25-43d4-a7a1-ef671a8cc1d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ca5c109-fe70-40a3-a5c8-2ad48d54ba5f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(151.50000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6b19f3f-feac-4288-a3ad-1550b048ecf8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ac48742e-ccab-4f6a-80ed-12d89fe0be47","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15323130-46e2-43a3-a6fa-cc1b345ea69c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-154.5%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96dd2cc4-0ff3-47eb-a9e4-e6df351c93e0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]