Lespedeza repens (Linnaeus) W.P.C. Barton. Subgenus: Lespedeza. Section: Lespedeza. clade: E. Common name: Smooth Trailing Lespedeza, Creeping Lespedeza. Phenology: May-Sep; Aug-Nov. Habitat: Woodlands and woodland borders. Distribution: CT and NY west to n. OH, s. WI, MO, and KS, south to n. peninsular FL, Panhandle FL, and c. TX. Also in Nuevo León, Mexico (Villasenor 2016).
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, Fl3, FNA11.1, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mo3, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, SE3, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Clewell (1966a), Clewell (1966b), Isely (1998); Hedysarum repens Linnaeus. Basionym: Hedysarum repens L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Lespedeza repens - FNA11.1
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Alan Cressler: Lespedeza repens, Coosa Valley Prairies, Floyd County, Georgia 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© John Gwaltney | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© John Gwaltney | Original Image ⭷
© John Gwaltney | Original Image ⭷
© John Gwaltney | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Lespedeza repens? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Trailing-reclining perennial of dry upland woodlands, clearings and woodland borders.
Stems: Stems few-many, slender and covered with with straight hairs pressed close to stem; forms loose mats.
Leaves: Leaves alternate and well spaced, short-petiolate, divided into 3 elliptic to oblong-oval leaflets, each to 1 in. long, blunt-tipped and sparsely to densely hairy.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in racemes of about 4-6 on stalks from upper leaf axils, pinkish-white to pale purple, about 1/4 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape, including an erect banner petal streaked with maroon.
Fruits: Fruit a flattened, broadly elliptical pod with pointed tip, containing a single seed.
Comments:
Height: 1-3 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Trailing-reclining perennial of dry upland woodlands, clearings and woodland borders.
stems: Stems few-many, slender and covered with with straight hairs pressed close to stem; forms loose mats.
leaves: Leaves alternate and well spaced, short-petiolate, divided into 3 elliptic to oblong-oval leaflets, each to 1 in. long, blunt-tipped and sparsely to densely hairy.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in racemes of about 4-6 on stalks from upper leaf axils, pinkish-white to pale purple, about 1/4 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape, including an erect banner petal streaked with maroon.
fruits: Fruit a flattened, broadly elliptical pod with pointed tip, containing a single seed.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
0 unsaved edits on this page.