Amorpha canescens
Back to Previous Page
Tried and True Recommended by 1 Professional
Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: lead plant
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Fabaceae
Zone: 2 to 9
Native Range: Southern Canada to New Mexico
Garden Location: Suzanne Stagg Wright Rock Garden
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Spread: 2 to 2.5 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Color: Blue, Purple
Bloom Description: Purple, blue
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Wildlife: Attracts Butterflies
Tolerates: Dry Soil, Drought
Uses: Erosion Control, Will Naturalize

Culture

Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Does well in poor, sandy, somewhat dry soils. May spread by self-seeding. Plant may die back to the ground in harsh winters.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Lead plant is a Missouri native that typically occurs in open woodlands, glades and prairies. This pea/bean family member is a somewhat ungainly, deciduous shrub growing 1-3' tall and featuring slender, dense, 4-8" spike-like clusters of tiny, bluish-purple flowers with gold anthers which bloom in May-June. Amorpha also features alternate, pinnately compound leaves with grayish green leaflets and densely hairy twigs. The genus Amorpha is often called false indigo because of its resemblance to plants of the genus Indigofera. Common name of lead plant refers to the once held belief that the plant was an indicator of the presence of lead in the ground.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to leaf spots, rust, powdery mildew and canker.

Garden Uses

A somewhat ordinary looking, small shrub with an attractive bloom but otherwise with no particularly outstanding landscape features. Good plant for naturalizing in a native or wildflower garden, prairie or meadow.

Back to Previous Page