Round Headed Bush Clover (Lespedeza capitata)
Round Headed Bush Clover flowers are visited by a variety of native bees and butterflies. It is the host plant to the Spring Azure, Eastern-tailed Blue, and at least 9 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.info) (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Also, Round Headed Bush Clover seeds are eaten by birds, including the Mourning Dove, Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, and Juncos (illinoiswildflower.info).
Photo credit: Joshua Mayer (1), John Blair (3)
Round Headed Bush Clover flowers are visited by a variety of native bees and butterflies. It is the host plant to the Spring Azure, Eastern-tailed Blue, and at least 9 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.info) (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Also, Round Headed Bush Clover seeds are eaten by birds, including the Mourning Dove, Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, and Juncos (illinoiswildflower.info).
Photo credit: Joshua Mayer (1), John Blair (3)
Round Headed Bush Clover flowers are visited by a variety of native bees and butterflies. It is the host plant to the Spring Azure, Eastern-tailed Blue, and at least 9 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.info) (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Also, Round Headed Bush Clover seeds are eaten by birds, including the Mourning Dove, Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, and Juncos (illinoiswildflower.info).
Photo credit: Joshua Mayer (1), John Blair (3)
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full-Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium—Dry
Height: 2-4 feet
Plant Spacing: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: August-Sep
Bloom Color: Green, Cream
Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite
Host: Spring Azure, Eastern Tailed Blue, and at least 9 other species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (illinoiswildflower.info) (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
