Common name: Sericea Lespedeza or Chinese Lespedeza

Family name: Fabaceae

Scientific name: Lespedeza cuneata

Origin: Eastern China, Korea, Japan

Warm season perennial

Growth habit: It grows with erect stems up to 5 feet tall with appressed hairs along their ridges. The leaves have leaflets on them that are less than 1 inch long and less than 1/4 inch in width. They are wedge-shaped with few flowers (1-4) in the axils.

Planting rate and date: Seeds are planted 20-30 lb/A with a pre-planted herbicide during March to May. Establishment is often slow. Seasonal production is from April to September.

Soil type: clay or loam

Problem weeds: Dodder, a parasitic plant, can be a problem

Legally listed forage herbicides: Poast, 2,4-DB




Summary

Sericea Lespedeza is used for hay, pasture, erosion control, and food for wild game. Young plants are higher in forage quality than the mature plant. Quality decreases in late summer as the plant matures. Seeds are excellent food for quail or turkey. Grazing and harvest is best when plants are 15-24" tall. High tannin levels decrease when consumed on pasture and when harvested for hay.

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Chinese Lespedeza

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