Sophora microphylla Sun King

The Sophora microphylla Sun King, also known as 'Hilsop', is a bush with a spreading habit. It is a very popular variety that surprises with its early flowering. The flowers are grouped in upright clusters measuring 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) long between March and May. These large flowers are dark yellow, bell-shaped, slightly curved, and pendulous. The flowering period is long-lasting. The fruit of the Sophora microphylla is a brown pod that resembles a rosary with about ten seeds.

The foliage is decorative and more evergreen than the typical variety. It consists of delicate, small pinnate leaves (divided into leaflets) that are velvety at the growth. They measure 7 to 15 cm (3 to 6in) long and bright green. The Sophora Sun King is a smaller variety with a mature height of 3 m (10ft).

Originally from Chile and New Zealand, Sophora is the national flower of the latter. It is also known as Small-flowered Kowhai, with Kowhai meaning "yellow" in Maori in New Zealand. It is a very hardy plant that withstands drought and winds well. The sophora microphylla can be found in hills, mountains, and rocky slopes, as well as in valleys and dry woodlands. However, it is best to cultivate it in pots in a temperate zone, isolated. It is a tree for small gardens. Be careful of the alkaloids in this plant that make it toxic.