Creeping Lespedeza (Lespedeza repens)

Lespedeza repens is known by the common names Creeping Lespedeza, Creeping Bush-clover, or Smooth Trailing Lespedeza. At Fort Yargo State Park it grows in several places including along the trail south of the Fishing Area (segment 13). We found it in Wilkes County near where we found the Asclepias viridiflora and by the roadside across from out house. It grows as runners in an ‘open’ pattern with short spikes of flowers. It blooms starting in June and can be found blooming for several months.

A plant growing at the road side in Wilkes County.

Close up of the runner.

A close up of a flower spike in Wilkes County.

A close up of a flower spike at Fort Yargo State Park (segment 13).

Back view, with sepals, of a flower spike at Fort Yargo State Park.

A flowering plant in the rain along the lake shore at Fort Yargo State Park. (segment 9).

A plant that has rooted in a vertical section of the lake shore at Fort Yargo State Park (segment 4).

A close up of the same plant.

Lespedeza repens (Creeping Lespedeza) is native to the eastern United States.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Lespedeza repens (Creeping Lespedeza)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Lespedeza repens

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Creeping Lespedeza (Lespedeza repens)
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Lespedeza repens (Creeping Bush-clover, Creeping Lespedeza, Smooth Trailing Lespedeza)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index