Kennedia nigricans occurs naturally along the southern coast of Western Australia, from Albany to Esperance. It does well in cultivation to the point of being a weed in the Adelaide Hills. It's not quite a weed in my garden but I've noticed tendrils insinuating their way through the fence and sneaking across the lane.When British botanist John Lindley described this species from plants raised in cultivation, he wrote that it was "a fine addition to the species of green-house twiners". I'm sure that Lindley wouldn't have been quite so enthusiastic if his greenhouse had disappeared under a glossy green that seems to double in size every day.
Still, it's worth the effort for the stunning black flowers. This is the cultivar 'Minstrel'. In wild-type plants, the patch on the standard is a stunning lemon yellow.
