wand lespedeza
Lespedeza virgata · Fabaceae
wand lespedeza (Lespedeza virgata) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Fabaceae family. It is introduced to North America rather than native. USDA records it as hardy in zone 6 and warmer, down to about -3°F.
At a glance
| Type | forb-herb USDA |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | introduced USDA |
| Mature height | 2 ft USDA |
| Light | full-sun USDA |
| Water need | low USDA |
| Growth rate | slow USDA |
| Soil pH | 5–6.9 USDA |
| Bloom | August–September USDA |
| Flower color | Purple USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 6 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | nutrient Derived |
| Nursery availability | No Known Source USDA |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It needs full sun. USDA rates it as having low water needs once established. Its drought tolerance is rated medium. It will not tolerate waterlogged soil — USDA rates its anaerobic tolerance as none. It is recorded on soils from pH 5 to 6.9 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 6.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 2 ft, making it about knee height. It grows slowly.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of August through September. Flowers are purple.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is dark green, fine in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. Its active growth period is summer. USDA rates its lifespan as moderate.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 30 to 65 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 120 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 8 inches. Fertility requirement: low — no feeding needed on ordinary garden soil.
Propagating it
Seed is the only propagation method USDA lists. Division and cuttings are not listed as options. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a moderate rate. It spreads vegetatively at a slow rate.
Resilience and wildlife
Browsing animals find it moderately palatable, so expect deer and rabbits to take an interest. Its fire tolerance is rated none. Its growth form is recorded as multiple stem.
Role in a guild
Nutrient layer. In a layered planting this is it contributes to soil fertility rather than to structure. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Lespedeza
- shrub lespedeza Lespedeza bicolor
- roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata
- hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta
- Thunberg's lespedeza Lespedeza thunbergii
Similar role and hardiness
- partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol LEVI80, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, Bloom, Bloom end, browse palatability, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, Nursery availability, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, seed spread rate, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil, Toxicity, Type, vegetative spread rate, Water need.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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