# deerweed (*Acmispon glaber*) Deerweed is a bright and cheerful plant that grows in sunny places. It has lovely yellow flowers that attract butterflies and bees, making it a fun plant to see in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![deerweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lotus_scoparius.jpg&width=800) Photo: NPS, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lotus_scoparius.jpg) ## Appearance The deerweed is a low-growing plant with many slender, leafy stems. It has small, bright yellow or orange pea-like flowers clustered along the branches. Its delicate, feathery leaves give it a soft, wispy appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Acmispon ## Interesting facts - Deerweed is like a magnet for many different kinds of butterflies and bees! - It's a super important food source for hungry deer and baby caterpillars! - Its scientific name 'Acmispon' means 'hairy foot' because of its fuzzy seed pods! - This tough plant can grow in very poor soil where other plants struggle. ## Special abilities - **Nitrogen Fixer:** Deerweed can pull nitrogen from the air using special root bacteria, making the soil richer for other plants to grow. - **Drought Survivor:** Deerweed has deep roots that help it find water in dry soils, allowing it to survive long periods without rain. - **Fire Rescuer:** Deerweed seeds can sprout quickly after a wildfire, helping the land recover and providing food for animals. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 40-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Mule deer often browse on its leaves and stems. - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees collect nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Depends on:** [Persius Duskywing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/persius-duskywing) (*Erynnis persius*) — Caterpillars of this butterfly feed on deerweed leaves. - **Pollinates:** [Yellow-faced Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-faced-bumble-bee) (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — This native bumble bee is a frequent visitor to deerweed flowers. ## 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. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [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 look but don't touch wild plants unless a grown-up says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify deerweed? 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 deerweed? 30-100 cm ### How wide does deerweed spread? 40-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on deerweed? 0.5-1 cm ### When does deerweed bloom? Spring to Fall ### Is deerweed edible? No ### Is deerweed toxic? None ### What is deerweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Old Auburn Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-auburn-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Old Town Pasadena](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-town-pasadena) — California, US · Historic District - [Prospect Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/prospect-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Jungleland USA](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jungleland-usa) — California, US · Zoo - [Serra Mesa Community Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/serra-mesa-community-park) — California, US · Park [View all places to see deerweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/deerweed) ## 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: [Deerweed: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deerweed)