Lespedeza capitata - ROUND-HEADED BUSH CLOVER

You may think, why grow a "boring looking" plant? Yes, the flowers are quite small, and you will have to look closely to find them beautiful. But what makes this plant interesting is the stiff, rigid, upright growth and hairy/fuzzy look, with its fuzzy clusters of flowers and calyxes. It's like a little alien sticking out of the other plants; it is quite noticeable!

If you want to support wildlife, this is a great plant for you. It attracts many types of butterflies and pollinators, and the plant offers lots of protein, so it will feed deer, rabbits, and groundhogs (it's also sometimes used in livestock pastures too...it is still clover!). The seeds are eaten by gamebirds (Mourning Dove, Bobwhite, Turkey, and Junco), but attract some song birds too.

It is drought and heat tolerant, thriving in infertile, shallow, rocky soils. Flowers in late summer through early fall, but stays ornamental with its hairy clusters of seedheads.

This plant is probably best used in naturalistic plantings - prairie landscaping, open woodlands, wild areas, pollinator gardens or as erosion control on dry slopes or dry soil.

Picture copyright : Jomegat, Commons Wikipedia

Blooming Time: July/August to September
Size: 2-4' tall x 1-2' wide
USDA Zones: 4 to 8
Culture: full sun to half shade, average soils
Moisture Needs: dry to medium
Origin: Eastern North America (see USDA distribution map)
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: no / no
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: native bees (including bumblebees) and many butterflies and moths (such as the Southern and Northern Cloudywing, Hoary Edge Butterfly, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Bella Moth, Common Ptichodis Moth)
Attracts Hummingbirds: no, but the seeds are eaten by other game and song birds
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 5" deep pot