Lespedeza formosa
| Lespedeza formosa | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 7' |
| Blooms: | Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Lespedeza formosa
Propagation: 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[1].
Cultivation: Easily grown in a light loam in full sun[2].
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[3].
A very ornamental plant[2].
This species is extremely variable in the shape of leaflets, size of flowers and split-length of calyx. However, these characters are continuous and overlapping, without a clearly defined concept and cannot be used to distinguish different species or infraspecies[4].
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[5].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat: Mountain slopes, forest margins, roadsides and thickets below 2800 metres[4].
Usage: The twigs are used in making brooms[6].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall-Late Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: L. formosa. Koehne. L. sieboldii.
Links
References
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Wilson, E and M Trollope. Korean Flora. Royal Asiatic Society, 1918.