Lespedeze thunbergii, bush clover
To have an effective pollinator garden, flowers need to be available from early spring to autumn. By summer's close most have stopped blooming. A lot of the plants look tired, whether preparing for dormancy or dealing with shortening days. Autumn, however, is when bush clover shines.
Like true clovers, it's a legume, which works symbiotically with soil bacteria to secure all its nitrogen needs; therefore, it doesn't require fertilizer. If you feed, amend the soil with a little organic plant food in early spring.
Once fully established, it can survive winters down to -10°F. Unfortunately here, it sometimes dips even colder; nevertheless, new sprouts emerge in spring. Fear not, it grows fast and quickly fills in. In fact, pruning out branches in early spring can help revitalize it. Because of its growth rate and spread, give it ample room.
While it can tolerate quite a bit of shade, to get dramatic blooming give it full sun. It'll grow deep root; therefore, once established it seldom requires additional watering.
Keep thumbs green, even in fall.
![1727475623174.jpeg 1727475623174.jpeg](https://cdn-videos.lpsg.com/data/attachments/145669/145669401-afef6e52e3c3dc7f27b4ba83f5400fd2.jpg)
To have an effective pollinator garden, flowers need to be available from early spring to autumn. By summer's close most have stopped blooming. A lot of the plants look tired, whether preparing for dormancy or dealing with shortening days. Autumn, however, is when bush clover shines.
Like true clovers, it's a legume, which works symbiotically with soil bacteria to secure all its nitrogen needs; therefore, it doesn't require fertilizer. If you feed, amend the soil with a little organic plant food in early spring.
Once fully established, it can survive winters down to -10°F. Unfortunately here, it sometimes dips even colder; nevertheless, new sprouts emerge in spring. Fear not, it grows fast and quickly fills in. In fact, pruning out branches in early spring can help revitalize it. Because of its growth rate and spread, give it ample room.
While it can tolerate quite a bit of shade, to get dramatic blooming give it full sun. It'll grow deep root; therefore, once established it seldom requires additional watering.
Keep thumbs green, even in fall.
![1727476607118.jpeg 1727476607118.jpeg](https://cdn-videos.lpsg.com/data/attachments/145670/145670491-a4bc8725a8b0df0693c1f4da088c8bf7.jpg)