bush clover
Lespedeza capitata
USDA zones3 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size2 to 4 feet tall12 to 24 inches wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Creamy white with magenta spot
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) is a perennial for pollinator gardens, meadows, and naturalized areas. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full or part sun and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. It sits low on the menu for deer and rabbits. Stems stand 2 to 4 feet tall and stay erect through winter, when the seedheads turn dark brown. Seeds feed birds and other wildlife.
Pairs well with New England aster, Indian grass, and Common milkweed.
Native range
United States.