Lespedeza cuneata (Silky bush clover)

FloraFinder uses cookies only for correct operation. More info. Okay

Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don

Silky bush clover, Chinese bush clover, Chinese lespedeza, perennial lespedeza, sericea lespedeza

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Lespedeza	For Cespedez, Spanish governor of east Flordia in late 18th century
Species	cuneata	Wedge-shaped

About plant names...

Silky bush clover is a native of China, Korea, Japan, Formosa, and Himalayas. It was introduced to North America in the 1800s, originally to reclaim rapidly eroding soils. It is now widespread and, in most areas, invasive.

Identification: Plants are 3-6' (91-182 cm) in height, with one or several upright-reaching sericeous stems that have stiff, flattened bristles. These look like woody perennials, but they are annuals. Leaves are alternate, closely spaced, covered with dense, flattened hairs, in clusters of three, obovate, narrowly obovate, or oblanceolate, each ⅛-⅞" (5-25 mm) long, with wedge-shaped leaf bases and rounded ends with a sharp, hairlike tip. They are attached via very short petioles. Flowers are cream-colored, bilaterally symmetrical, with purple throats, appearing from July to September. Fruits are flat to round pods with a single seed, ¹/₁₆-³/₁₆" (3-5 mm) long, with hairs flattened against the fruit.