Hardenbergia violacea ‘Alba’ — White Coral Pea | Grow Your Own Sarsaparilla Tea

Description

A stunning evergreen climber that bursts with elegant white flowers in late winter to spring—this is no ordinary ornamental.

Native to southern and eastern Australia, this evergreen climbing shrub produces stems up to 3 metres long. It has been given the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. The Alba cultivar stands apart with its pristine white blooms set against lush, dark green foliage—a striking contrast that commands attention from late winter through spring.

But here’s where passion meets purpose: this plant has a living heritage as a **herbal tea and wellness plant**. The roots and leaves were boiled then allowed to cool, sweetened with honey, and made a very refreshing drink which tasted like sarsaparilla. It was boiled and the liquid strained and sweetened, mainly with native bee honey, and taken to treat stomach cramps. This is why early European settlers called it “False Sarsaparilla”—they recognized its extraordinary medicinal value. Grow this vine not just to screen a fence or grace a trellis, but to connect with ancestral plant knowledge. Harvest the tender leaves and roots in their prime, brew a pot of golden infusion, and experience the subtle sweet warmth that sustained cultures for generations. The beauty is functional, the flowers are medicine, the entire plant is purpose.

**Growing your White Coral Pea is straightforward.** Prefers light to medium soil in an open sunny position, drought and frost resistant. Perfect for borders, hedges, or containers. Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established, thriving in full sun to part shade. The vine thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil and needs minimal fussing once established. Hardenbergia seeds have a hard outer coating, and germination will normally not occur unless the seed is scarified by abrading or pre-treated with boiling water first. Place the seed in a container and pour in just boiled water and allow to soak overnight. Seeds germinate readily with this simple treatment—no exotic equipment needed.

Imagine five years from now: a tumbling cascade of white flowers adorns your garden each late winter. But more than aesthetics—you’re harvesting your own herbal remedy, connecting with the plant intelligence that sustained an entire continent, creating something impossible to buy: authentic, homegrown wellness. This is not just a climber. It’s your own apothecary, your own piece of Australian botanical history, growing from seed with patience and joy.