Plant in sun or light shade in hot inland areas. Tolerates and even prefers heavy soil so long as it drains well and requires little water once established. Cold hardy to around 23° F and short duration dips to slightly lower – expect severe damage if temperatures drop below 20 F. Responds well to pruning and hard pruning can reinvigorate older plants.

The species Hardenbergia violacea is widespread through much of Australia and can be found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Tasmania where it grows from along the coast to up in the mountains, often as an understory in forests and amongst shrubs where it can sprawl up on and around other plants. It was first described (as Glycine violacea) by the Dutch botanist George Voorhelm Schneevoogt in Icones Plantarum Rariorum in 1793 from cultivated plants that were thought to be from seeds collected in the Sydney area in the first few years of that settlement. Glycine is the genus of the related soybean (Glycine max) and this plant was later combined with Hardenbergia, a name Bentham used in 1837 when describing Hardenbergia ovata. The name for the genus honors Franziska Countess von Hardenberg, sister of the Baron Karl von Hugel, a 19th century Austrian patron of botany who collected plants while on an expedition to Australia in 1833. The specific epithet is in reference to the typical color of the flower. Other common names include Purple Coral Pea, Happy Wanderer, Native Lilac. Because the long, carrot-like root was reportedly used as a substitute for sarsaparilla by Australian aboriginal bushmen, it also has the common names Australian Sarsaparilla and False Sarsaparilla. The Australian aboriginal name for it is Waraburra.

According to the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority the 'Happy Wanderer' cultivar was a selection made in 1978 by the Australian National Botanic Garden in Canberra Australia. It wa selected for its vigor and vining habit, and it also has larger leaves than other varieties. Though this species and Hardenbergia comptoniana were in limited cultivation prior, 'Happy Wanderer' was the earliest of the named cultivars to come into the US market and it remains the most common of the Hardenbergia. We have grown it since 1988 also have grown other varieties of Hardenbergia violacea such as 'Canoelands', 'Mini Haha' and 'Meema'. as well as another species, Hardenbergia comptoniana. 

Information displayed on this page about Hardenbergia violacea 'Happy Wanderer' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.