# Chinese bushclover (*Lespedeza cuneata*) Chinese bushclover is a small shrub with pretty green leaves and lovely flowers. It grows in fields and along roadsides, making the world a little brighter with its cheerful blooms. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Chinese bushclover](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%EB%B9%84%EC%88%98%EB%A6%AC_3.JPG&width=800) Photo: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%EB%B9%84%EC%88%98%EB%A6%AC_3.JPG) ## Appearance The Chinese bushclover has slender, erect or spreading stems and small, trifoliate leaves with silvery undersides. Its numerous tiny pea-like flowers are white to cream, often with a purple tinge, blooming densely along the upper stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Lespedeza ## Interesting facts - It's sometimes called "sericea lespedeza" because of its silky leaves! - Its tiny seeds are a tasty snack for birds like quail and sparrows! - People sometimes plant it to feed farm animals like cows and goats! - This plant can grow in really poor soil, making it super tough! ## Special abilities - **Soil Supercharger:** Chinese bushclover can enrich soil with nitrogen, acting like a natural fertilizer for other plants. - **Thirsty Land Survivor:** Its deep root system allows Chinese bushclover to thrive in dry conditions where many other plants struggle. - **Ground Grabber:** Chinese bushclover quickly covers open ground, preventing erosion and outcompeting other vegetation. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-150 cm - **Spread:** 60-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on its leaves and young stems. - **Eats:** [Northern bobwhite](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-bobwhite) (*Colinus virginianus*) — Feeds on its nutritious seeds during winter. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always explore plants with an adult and don't eat anything without checking first! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chinese bushclover? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Chinese bushclover? 50-150 cm ### How wide does Chinese bushclover spread? 60-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on Chinese bushclover? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Chinese bushclover bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is Chinese bushclover edible? Yes ### Is Chinese bushclover toxic? None ### What is Chinese bushclover's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fairlie-Poplar](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairlie-poplar) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Miami Whitewater Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/miami-whitewater-forest) — Ohio, US · Park - [Tockwotton-Love Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tockwotton-love-place-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Berry College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-college) — Georgia, US · Campus - [Double Trouble State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/double-trouble-state-park) — New Jersey, US · State Park - [Fletcherville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fletcherville-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District [View all places to see Chinese bushclover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/chinese-bushclover) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Chinese bushclover: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chinese-bushclover)