Roundhead Lespedeza
Lespedeza capitata
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Lespedeza capitata is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Dry fields. Sandy open woods or open ground in Texas.
N. America - Maine to Florida, west to Kansas and Texas.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
The leaves have been boiled to make a tea.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The plant contains several biologically active compounds. Pharmaceutical preparations are manufactured from them. An extract of the plant is of disputed utility in chronic kidney disease. Experimentally, it has demonstrated antitumor activity against Walker-256 carcinosarcoma and is also reportedly effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels. It is also believed to reduce blood levels of nitrogen compounds in persons with high nitrogen levels in their urine. The root has been used as an antidote to poisoning. The stems have been used in moxibustion in the treatment of neuralgia and rheumatism.
Antidote: Counters poisoning.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Kidney: Used in the treatment of kidney diseases
Other
Rating: 3
Nitrogen Fixer.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
Easily grown in a light loam in full sun. The top growth is not very cold tolerant, although the rootstock is considerably hardier. Plants are usually cut back to the ground in all but very mild winters, though they generally resprout well from the base in the following spring and flower in late summer. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread.
Propagating it: Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a frame. It can be difficult to get the cuttings through their first winter, it is best to plunge the pots in a bed of ashes in a sheltered border outdoors.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist