Leadplant

Amorpha canescens Pursh

Family: Fabaceae (legume)

Leadplant

Dan Gibson, MSU Entomology

Leadplant

  • Bloom Period:
    • Mid-Season,
  • Growth Cycle:
    • Perennial,
  • Growth Habit:
    • Shrub,
  • Insect Type Attracted:
    • Natural Enemy,
    • Pollinator,
  • Light:
    • Full,
  • Region:
    • Northern Lower Peninsula,
    • Southern Lower Peninsula,
    • Upper Peninsula
  • Soil Moisture:
    • Dry,
  • Height:
    • 1-4ft

Natural enemies attracted

Mildly attractive: Nabidae and Orius insidiosus.

Pollinators attracted

Moderately attractive: bees including sweat bees, small carpenter bees, and bumble bees.

Pests attracted

Mildly attractive: leafhoppers, aphids, Japanese beetles and lygus bugs.

Plant notes

Plant has small leaves and its flowers are small purple spikes that began to bloom in their third season of growth. Plants bloomed from late July through early August. This species was the least attractive to natural enemies in the mid season, with fewer natural enemies than in the grass control.

Habitat

Leadplant grows in full sun and very dry sites. It naturally occurs in sandy clearings and roadsides, hills, bluffs and prairies.

Cultivation and management

Plants are difficult to establish from seed, but may be grown from plug material (flowers in third year).