Sericea Lespedeza
Lespedeza cuneata · Warm-season, Perennial, C3-C4 intermediate legume often managed alongside grasses
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Pasture/Forage, Invasive/Weed, Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9; highly adaptable to the transition zone.
Grass Family
Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae
Variety / Cultivar
Common wild type / Interstate
About This Grass
An herbaceous perennial legume featuring slender, upright stems growing 2 to 5 feet tall. It has dense, fine-textured foliage with numerous small, wedge-shaped leaves. Flowers are small, cream to yellowish-white, appearing in late summer. It turns brown and stands rigid over winter.
Blade Characteristics
Compound leaves with three leaflets (trifoliate). Leaflets are small, wedge-shaped (cuneate), about 0.5 inches long, featuring parallel veins running to the margin and a tiny spine-like tip. Foliage is grayish-green to dark green with silky pubescence underneath.
Root System
Deep, woody taproot system capable of reaching several feet into the soil profile, providing exceptional drought resistance and nitrogen-fixing capability.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Asia (China, Japan, Korea); widely naturalized in the United States, especially the Southeast and Midwest
Growth Habit
Stiffly erect, deep-rooted perennial forb/legume that forms dense multi-stemmed stands from a woody root crown
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun for optimal growth. Highly drought-tolerant once established due to its deep taproot. Thrives in low-fertility, acidic soils where other plants struggle.
Mowing & Maintenance
Managed through frequent close mowing or grazing in pasture settings to keep forage palatable, but requires intensive herbicidal or mechanical control if treated as an invasive weed.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional drought and acid-soil tolerance, excellent erosion control on disturbed slopes, and nitrogen-fixing ability. However, it is considered an aggressive noxious weed in many natural areas and native prairies.
Ecological Information
Introduced species with high invasive tendencies in native grasslands and prairies. While it provides forage and cover for some wildlife, it generally reduces native plant biodiversity and crowds out desirable forage grasses.