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Galactia regularis (Linnaeus) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenburg. Eastern Milkpea, Downy Milkpea. Phen: Jul-Sep; Aug-Oct. Hab: Dry forests and woodlands, scrubby flatwoods (FL). Dist: Se. NY west to MO and OK, south to s. FL and se. TX.

ID notes: Galactia regularis refers to the species widespread in the eastern USA, with leaflets mostly elliptic to broadly elliptic, relatively small flowers, and twining stems hirsute-villous with deflexed hairs (Nesom 2015).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl3, FNA11.1, GrPl, K4, NY, WH3, Duncan (1979), Franck (2017), Nesom (2015a), Ward & Hall (2004); = Galactia volubilis (L.) Britton – K1, S, SE3, Tn, Isely (1998), misapplied; > Galactia macreei M.A.Curtis – C, F, G, RAB, Tx; > Galactia regularis var. mississippiensis (Vail) Mohlenbr. – Il, invalid name; > Galactia regularis var. regularis – Il; < Galactia volubilis (L.) Britton – Ar, NcTx, Tat, WV, misapplied; > Galactia volubilis (L.) Britton – C, G, Pa, RAB, Tx; > Galactia volubilis (L.) Britton var. mississippiensis Vail – F; > Galactia volubilis (L.) Britton var. volubilis – F

Links to other floras: = Galactia regularis - FNA11.1

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 7

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Trailing to weakly climbing, herbaceous perennial vine found in dry longleaf and pine-oak forests and woodlands.

Stems: Stems may be many from a single rootstalk, prostrate or trailing and with spreading or close-pressed hairs.

Leaves: Leaves alternate; petiolate; divided into 3 slightly leathery, elliptic to lance-shaped leaflets, each 3/4-1 1/2 in. long and smooth or hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in short racemes of 1-6 from leaf axils, dark pink or pink and white, about 1/2 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape, including a large, reflexed banner petal.

Fruits: Fruit a hairy, narrowly oblong pod.

Comments: This is the larval host plant for Long-tailed Skipper, Gray Hairstreak and Zarucco Duskywing butterflies.

Height: to 10 ft. long

plant sale text: Eastern Milkpea is a delicate twining vine in the pea family (Fabaceae) that has charming ¾" bright pink flowers. It can be found in open, dry woodlands throughout the southeastern U.S., and it will weakly twine up other vegetation or creep along the ground. Similar to Spurred Butterfly Pea, Eastern Milkpea is a tough little plant that is drought tolerant once established. This species is a larval host plant for the Long-tailed Skipper, Gray Hairstreak, and Zarucco Duskywing butterflies.

bloom table text:

description: Trailing to weakly climbing, herbaceous perennial vine found in dry longleaf and pine-oak forests and woodlands.

stems: Stems may be many from a single rootstalk, prostrate or trailing and with spreading or close-pressed hairs.

leaves: Leaves alternate; petiolate; divided into 3 slightly leathery, elliptic to lance-shaped leaflets, each 3/4-1 1/2 in. long and smooth or hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in short racemes of 1-6 from leaf axils, dark pink or pink and white, about 1/2 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape, including a large, reflexed banner petal.

fruits: Fruit a hairy, narrowly oblong pod.

comments: This is the larval host plant for Long-tailed Skipper, Gray Hairstreak and Zarucco Duskywing butterflies.

cultural notes:

germination code: 2,3

native range: southeastern United States