Lessertia frutescens (syn. Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br.; Colutea frutescens L.) is a southern African legume in the family Fabaceae. It is also known as cancer bush, balloon pea, Cape bladder pea, sutherlandia; and phetola ("it changes") in seTswana, and insiswa ("the one that drives away the darkness") in isiZulu. It is a shrub with bitter, aromatic leaves, with red-orange flowers appearing in spring to mid-summer. These are followed by inflated, air-filled pods containing the seeds.
Lessertia frutescens is a small bush growing up to about high. It is native to dry parts of southern Africa, preferring full sun but tolerant of a wide variety of soil types. It is a tough, hardy, fast growing and drought tolerant but short lived plant. Seeds germinate readily in around two to three weeks and established plants self-seed readily.
Seedlings may be vulnerable to damping off, but provided it is in well-drained soil, it grows readily and is not very vulnerable to pests.