A showy blooming legume and nitrogen fixer! Stays compact (2’-3’) in prairies or dense plantings with plenty of root competition, but in an open garden bed it can exceed 5 or 6 feet in height. Hosts multiple species of hairstreak and skipper! Easily grown, but should be protected from browsing for at least a year while they establish. Seeds are flat triangles covered in fine, burr like hairs that cling to clothing and cloth garden gloves.

Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet Mesic, Mesic

Soil Type: Loam

Height: 2’-5’

Bloom Color: Pink

Bloom Time: Jul

Root Type: Taproot

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers attract long-tongued bees. Hosts skippers such as southern cloudywing and northern cloudywing, the eastern tailed blue and grey hairstreak, a few moths and smaller insects. Foliage is highly desirable to herbivores and browsed by a wide variety of mammals. Some gamebirds and small mammals eat the seeds.