Leadplant, Amorpha canescens Pursh, Native Minnesota Wildflower shrub, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

A low (1 to 2 feet high) shrub of the uplands and prairies, each leaf having upwards of 20 leaflets, the colorful flowers which have a single petal appear on spike like racemes. The protruding bright orange stamens are quite noticeable. The weight of the spikes tends to cause the plant to tilt over. The leaves and stems are covered with small whitish hairs, which as the leaf ages, give the plant a grayish hue, hence the common name. It is highly drought tolerant due to a deep tap root, which also makes transplanting a poor idea. The lower stems are woody and on the prairie, periodic burns rejuvenate the plant; in the home garden it will be necessary to periodically prune out old wood. It is a common native prairie inhabitant. The genus name meaning "deformed" refers to the single petal flower. The species name is from the Latin and refers to the whitish or hoary color tinge from the fine leaf and stem hair and from the comes the common name.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Leadplant	Amorpha canescens Pursh	Pea	Upland	Early summer to Late summer
Other names and notes	A low (1 to 2 feet high) shrub of the uplands and prairies, each leaf having upwards of 20 leaflets, the colorful flowers which have a single petal appear on spike like racemes. The protruding bright orange stamens are quite noticeable. The weight of the spikes tends to cause the plant to tilt over. The leaves and stems are covered with small whitish hairs, which as the leaf ages, give the plant a grayish hue, hence the common name. It is highly drought tolerant due to a deep tap root, which also makes transplanting a poor idea. The lower stems are woody and on the prairie, periodic burns rejuvenate the plant; in the home garden it will be necessary to periodically prune out old wood. It is a common native prairie inhabitant. The genus name meaning "deformed" refers to the single petal flower. The species name is from the Latin and refers to the whitish or hoary color tinge from the fine leaf and stem hair and from the comes the common name.