Amorpha herbacea

Common Names

Leadplant, Clusterspike False Indigo, Cluster-Spike Indigo-Bush

Summary

Amorpha herbacea, commonly called Dwarf Indigo, is a deciduous shrub in the Fabaceae family native to the southeastern United States. It grows about 3–4 feet tall and wide from a thick horizontal rootstock, with grooved stems and leaves composed of many leaflets (typically 23–45) that are 6–18 cm long with revolute margins and a silvery blue-green color. It bears branched racemes 3–40 cm long with flowers that have a calyx tube turbinate to cylindric and banners white, lavender, or violet; brown, flattened pods appear later. Cultivation and uses: It tolerates full sun to part shade and sandy, well-drained soils, and can handle moisture ranging from not wet to very dry, but is not well suited to prolonged wet or inundated conditions with limited tolerance to salty environments. It is used as a specimen plant in sunny spots or as a moderately tall wildflower, and serves as a larval host for silver-spotted skipper and southern dogface butterflies while attracting butterflies and pollinators, especially native bees. Propagation is possible from seed or cuttings, and it is hardy in USDA zones 8B–10A.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36-48 inches

Spread

3-4 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 8b-10a

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun. Tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Glaucous (hoary), gray/silver green, and silvery blue-green foliage.

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Not specified by sources

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds (sources)