(Revised April 1936)
Lespedeza
T WO KINDS of lespedeza are grown in Alabama, 
annual and
perennial. Annual lespedeza has been grown and used for
pasture and as a hay crop in this State for many years. Peren-
nial lespedeza (L. sericea) is a new crop that may prove to be a
valuable forage plant.
ANNUAL LESPEDEZA
Soils.-Lespedeza grows on all of the soils of Alabama ex-
cept the lime soils of the Black Belt. This plant grows 
best on
fertile, loamy, moist bottom lands. On moderately fertile up-
land soils it produces sufficiently for good grazing, 
but seldom
grows tall enough to be cut for hay. On very poor sandy up-
lands, lespedeza makes little growth and sometimes 
dies dur-
ing dry weather in the late spring or early summer. 
Moisture
is frequently the limiting factor in the growth of this 
plant.
Fertilizers.-Although lespedeza does not grow on 
the lime
soils of the Black Belt, some lime is usually beneficial on 
the acid
soils in other parts of the State. Phosphate is 
also beneficial to
this crop. Probably the best fertilizer for lespedeza is 
basic
slag. At least 600 pounds per acre of this material should 
be
applied broadcast when the soil is prepared. Where 
lespedeza
is to occupy the land for several years an application 
of 1,000
pounds per acre would probably be profitable.
Growing for Hay.-On fertile, moist soils lespedeza 
makes
large yields of excellent hay. Under very favorable 
conditions
it may produce from 2 to 4 tons of hay per acre, but 
usually
makes from 1 to 2 tons. On poor soils under unfavorable 
condi-
tions, lespedeza does not grow tall enough to be cut for hay.
Lespedeza hay has approximately the same feeding value 
as
alfalfa. Due to its leafiness 
and fine stems, there is 
less waste
in feeding lespedeza than in feeding any other hay. 
To obtain
the best quality of lespedeza hay it should be cut when the plants
are blooming but before 
the plants begin to shed the 
leaves.
For hay 25 to 50 pounds of seed per acre should be 
sown
on well-prepared soil during February or March. Lespedeza
may also be sown on land that was planted the 
previous fall
to one of the small grains. It is always advisable to run a
drag harrow over the land after sowing to 
cover the seeds
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
OF THE
ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
M. J. FUNCHESS, Director
AUBURN
JULY 1934LEAFLET No. 6
lightly. This will prevent the seed from being washed off by
heavy rains and will insure a uniform stand. Kobe or Ten-
nessee 76 are probably the best varieties for hay. If these
varieties are cut at the time when they make the best quality
of hay, they usually do not reseed and thus should be planted
each year. Common lespedeza usually reseeds. As a general
practice, annual lespedeza for hay and seed production should
not be allowed to occupy the same area for more than two
years because weeds become very troublesome.
Growing for Pasture.-Lespedeza is the most generally used
pasture plant grown in Alabama. It grows best on moist bot-
tom lands. On upland soils the growth is usually small but it
produces good grazing during a part of the season. Lespedeza
furnishes little grazing before the first of June, but after that
date it gives abundant grazing until frost. This plant does not
grow during very dry weather.
Sow from 25 to 30 pounds of seed per acre in late February
or early March. Pasture land should be disked sufficiently to
scarify the surface of the ground. If broom sedge is growing
on the area, the land should be double disked or plowed before
seeding. Common lespedeza is the best variety for pasture
in Alabama.
Inoculation.-Alabama soils are naturally inoculated for
lespedeza and, therefore, artificial inoculation for this crop is
not necessary.
Value for Soil Improvement.-Lespedeza is a valuable plant
for soil improvement, particularly on the valley soils of north
Alabama. On these soils lespedeza is usually cut for hay or
seed or used for pasture for a number of years before being
turned under: When such land is brought back into cultivation
the yields of succeeding crops are usually much improved. On
badly eroded Piedmont and mountain soils that have been
abandoned for cultivation, lespedeza frequently comes in and if
allowed to grow for several years helps to restore the fertility
of the soil.
Value for Quail Feed.-Seeds of all wild kinds of lespedeza
and of all cultivated varieties are valuable sources of quail feed.
Weed Control.-Dodder, or love vine, is the worst pest of
lespedeza. Prevent dodder, if possible, by sowing clean seed
on dodder-free soil. If dodder appears in small patches it may
be picked by hand. A simpler method is to cover these small
areas with straw and then burn it.
Annual weeds may be controlled by mowing early in the
summer, after which lespedeza usually crowds out the weeds.
Varieties.-Common, locally known as Japan or pigeon
clover, grows wild in nearly all parts of Alabama. The plants
are low and spreading except where there is a very thick stand
on moist fertile soils. The stems are fine and bear small three-
parted leaves and small purple flowers, which appear from
August until frost. This variety is used extensively for pasture,
usually appearing on abandoned lands and forming a stand
within a few years. Due to its habits of growth and 
seeding,
this plant always matures 
enough seed to reseed 
the land. On
moist fertile soils Common lespedeza makes large yields of ex-
cellent hay.
Kobe is similar to Common lespedeza except it grows more
erect, grows taller, and has broader leaves and coarser stems.
Experiments at the Experiment Fields and Substations 
show
this variety will make about 25 per cent more hay than the
Common.
Tennessee 76 is a selection from Common lespedeza made
at the Tennessee Experiment Station. The plants of this variety
resemble those of Kobe. It appears to be a better variety
than Common and yields about the same as Kobe.
Korean lespedeza belongs to a different species from the
varieties mentioned above. It is much earlier, has broader
leaflets, and is coarser than the other varieties. It matures
seed and frequently dies before frost, making it less valuable as
a fall grazing crop than the other varieties. Fall and early
winter rains frequently cause the seed to germinate and frost
kills the young plants, resulting in very poor or no stands the
following year. In north Alabama when it is cut early for
hay it may produce a crop of seed before frost and thus re-
seeds the land. In middle and south Alabama it seldom reseeds.
The varieties discussed above are preferable to Korean in
Alabama.
LESPEDEZA SERICEA
Lespedeza sericea is a comparatively new crop in this coun-
try. This is an erect perennial legume which sprouts from
crowns each spring and may be of value as a hay crop. How-
ever, much must be learned about this plant before its value, use,
and cultural requirements are understood.
Soil Adaptation.-Lespedeza sericea seems to have about
the same soil adaptation as have the annual varieties of lespe-
deza. Like the annual varieties, Lespedeza sericea grows best
on moist fertile soils, but has made some fair yields of hay on
sandy uplands.
Fertilizers.-The fertilizer needs of this plant on Alabama
soils are not known. Experiments at Auburn show that it re-
sponds well to phosphate. It will make a good growth on
very poor soils without fertilizer at least for a few years.
Planting.-The land should be broken in the winter or early
spring and harrowed a few times to kill weeds. In April or
May is the preferable time to sow. The seed should be scari-
fied and sown broadcast at the rate of 25-30 pounds of seed
per acre and not covered or covered very lightly. If they are
covered deep a very poor stand will be obtained. The plants
of sericea grow slowly and do not compete with weeds the
first year. The weeds may be mown the first year, if the cutter
bar is set high enough not to cut the young sericea plants.
Usually the sericea will smother out the weeds the second year.
In the first year the field appears to be all weeds but the plants
generally survive and are very vigorous the second year.
Before the plants start growth in the spring of the second
year the dead grass and weeds should be removed so that they
will not be mixed in the first cutting of hay.
If it is planted for seed it is preferable to plant in narrow
rows and cultivate it the first year. Cultivated plantings make
a very good yield of seed the first year, but uncultivated plant-
ings seldom produce enough seed to harvest.
Inoculation. -Like the annual varieties of lespedeza, Les-
pedeza sericea does not require artificial inoculation in Alabama.
Uses.-This crop has made some large yields of hay the sec-
ond year after planting. Unless cut when the plants are young
and succulent, the hay is coarse and of poor quality. If cut be-
fore the stems become woody, usually when the plants are about
15 inches high, this plant makes hay of good quality.
This crop is so new in Alabama that very little is known of
its value as a pasture plant. Its general habits of growth, how-
ever, indicate that it might not stand hard grazing and that it
would not be adapted for use in a permanent pasture.
Harvesting.-Lespedeza sericea should not be cut for hay
the first year, but may be cut for seed. After the first year, it
may be cut for hay twice each year. Preliminary results of
some experiments in Alabama indicate that more than two cut-
tings per year reduced the yield and thinned the stand and re-
sulted in a large increase in weeds and grass on the area. The
first cutting should usually be made in May and the second in
July. After these two cuttings have been made the plants
should produce a crop of seed which may be harvested when
mature.
Strains.-There are three strains of Lespedeza sericea, Num-
bers 12087, 17291, and 04730. Strain 04730 is slightly earlier
and grows a little taller than the other two. The other two
strains have proved to be identical. These three strains are of
about equal value.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY AND SOILS