Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

Distinguishing Characteristics

Stem and underside of leaflets covered with dense gray hairs; leaf margin lacking teeth

Height

To 3 feet

Blooms

May to August

Description

A multi-stem shrub that dies to the ground occasionally. Flowers are tiny and massed in tight spikes

Comments

Found on prairies, glades, savannas and open woodlands in the prairie regions and Ozarks of Missouri, it occasionally is used in seeding mixes and commonly used in restoration projects. Leadplant does not do well in grazing systems. Slow to establish, it takes several years to bloom from seed. It’s a good food source for upland wildlife and a nectar source for insects.