Plant Details
Amorpha Canescens
Common name: Lead Plant
Grows like an herbaceous perennial but takes on shrublike characteristics as it matures. Tight spikes of iridescent purple and orange flowers appear from May-August. Silver-green compound foliage is quite handsome.
Culture:
Grows in a variety of soils, but prefers dry, sandy sites. Plants have deep roots and may take two or three years to mature.
Use:
Use in the border or mix with grasses and other wildflowers in a prairie. Good for erosion control due to deep, branching woody root system.
Height:
12 to 36 inches
Spread:
12 to 36 inches
Color:
Purple
USDA Hardiness Zone:
2 - 8
Good Companion Plants
- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Missouri Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa)
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)
Characteristics and Attributes
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Medium Sun/Average Shade
Season of Interest:
Mid (May - June)
Late (July - frost)
Soil Moisture:
Average
Moderate
Wildlife Benefit:
Butterfly Nectar
Nature Attracting:
Butterfly
Beneficial Insects
