Thermopsis villosa (Walter) Fernald & Schubert. Common name: Aaron's-rod, Blue Ridge Golden-banner. Phenology: May-Jun; Jul-Sep. Habitat: Floodplains, mesic disturbed areas, woodland edges, roadbanks. Distribution: A Southern Blue Ridge endemic: w. NC and e. TN to n. GA, and escaped from cultivation more widely, as in w. VA, s. MD, c. TN, and WV representing escapes from cultivation.
ID notes: T. villosa is a more erect and unbranched plant than our other two species. It is generally found in disturbed sites, its natural habitat somewhat of a mystery.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, FNA11.1, K4, NE, NS, NY, POWO, RAB, SE3, Tn, W, Chen, Mendenhall, & Turner (1994), Isely (1981), Isely (1998); Sophora villosa Walter; = n/a — Pa, Tat; = Thermopsis caroliniana M.A.Curtis — S, S13. Basionym: Sophora villosa Walter 1788
Links to other floras: = Thermopsis villosa - FNA11.1
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Heliophily ⓘ: 6
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© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Thermopsis villosa, Lake Winfield Scott area, Chattahoochee National Forest, Union County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
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Comments: The fortunate hiker may come across the beautiful Carolina bush pea, for it is an infrequent plant occuring in openings or clearings in the mountains of the southeast. During the month of May, it has beautiful, bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers coming off the top of a central stalk, which can grow to four or five feet tall. The genus name comes from thermos, meaning lupine, and opsis, meaning like. It can be confused with Baptisia, but Baptisia has blue-green foliage and inflated seed pods whereas Thermopsis has green foliage and flat seed pods.
Height: 4-5 ft.
plant sale text: Carolina Bush Pea is a close relative of the Baptisias and has many similar traits. This SE native perennial bears dozens of bright yellow pea-like flowers in racemes that reach a foot in length. Its flowers are followed by attractive seed pods that persist for months. This species is durable and long-lived. It is drought-tolerant, once its root system has had time to become established. Plant it in full sun and well-drained soil amended with organic matter to keep it full and bushy as well as maximizing its flowering.
bloom table text:
description:
stems:
leaves:
inflorescence:
flowers:
fruits:
comments: The fortunate hiker may come across the beautiful Carolina bush pea, for it is an infrequent plant occuring in openings or clearings in the mountains of the southeast. During the month of May, it has beautiful, bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers coming off the top of a central stalk, which can grow to four or five feet tall. The genus name comes from thermos, meaning lupine, and opsis, meaning like. It can be confused with Baptisia, but Baptisia has blue-green foliage and inflated seed pods whereas Thermopsis has green foliage and flat seed pods.
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native range: southeastern United States
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