Lotus berthelotii

Common Name:
Parrot's Beak

Description:
Lotus berthelotii, commonly known as Parrot’s Beak, is a striking trailing perennial grown for its vivid, bird-beak-shaped flowers and fine, silver-grey foliage. Native to the Canary Islands, this exotic plant produces fiery red to orange flowers in spring and early summer that resemble the curved beak of a parrot — hence the name. The soft, needle-like foliage forms a dense mat that gracefully spills over the edges of hanging baskets, retaining walls, and garden beds, making it a highly decorative choice for trailing and groundcover applications. Best suited to full sun and well-drained soil, Parrot’s Beak thrives in Melbourne’s climate when protected from heavy frost and excessive winter moisture. It is drought-tolerant once established and benefits from regular light pruning to maintain shape and encourage flowering. While it is often grown as an annual in cooler climates, it can behave as a perennial in well-drained, frost-free positions.

Form:
Ground Cover
Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding
Climber (trailing)

Mature Size:
Height: 0.2–0.3 m
Width: 0.6–1 m (spreading/trailing)

Aspect:
Full Sun
Part Shade

Flowering:
Flowers in Spring
Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
Bright red
Orange

Key Attributes:
Suitable for Pots
Drought Tolerant
Foliage Interest
Low Maintenance
Suitable for Hanging Baskets
Suitable for Rockeries
Spreading / Trailing Habit

Toxicity:
Non-toxic to humans and pets.

Companion Plants:
Helichrysum petiolare
Lobelia erinus
Bacopa ‘Snowstorm’
Convolvulus sabatius
Scaevola aemula
Sedum ‘Little Missy’