LESPEDEZA J 



By A. J. Pieters, principal agronomist in charge, Division of Forage Crops and 

 Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry 



Three species of lespedeza — two annual and one perennial — are of 

 interest to the American farmer. The annuals are (1) the common 

 {Lespedeza striata), with two improved varieties, Tennessee No. 76 

 and Kobe, and (2) the Korean (L. stipulacea) , with one extra-early 

 variety. The perennial is L. sericea. 



The annual lespedezas are grown extensively in the South, for hay, 

 pasturage, soil improvement, and seed production. The northern 

 limit of common lespedeza follows an irregular line from southern 

 Iowa through central Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to southern Penn- 

 sylvania and New Jersey. To the west, it is established in eastern 

 Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Korean lespedeza can maintain it- 

 self somewhat farther north, and the extra-early dwarf variety has 

 reseeded at Ottawa, Canada, and at Middlebury, Vt. 



In the northern limit of its range the common lespedeza is a low- 

 growing pasture plant only, while Korean has made good hay crops 

 at Attica, Ind., and Champaign, 111. Tennessee No. 76 and Kobe are 

 later varieties, useful from Kentucky to the Gulf of Mexico. 

 Korean is too early to be useful south of northern Mississippi, 

 Alabama, and Georgia. 



Culture 



The culture of lespedeza is simple. The seed is best sown on winter 

 grain about the middle of March in the latitude of North Carolina 

 and Tennessee, somewhat earlier farther south and , later farther 

 north. If seeding is done too late for the freezing and thawing of 

 the ground to work the seed under the surface, the field should be 

 lightly harrowed after seeding. If 25 to 30 pounds of seed per acre 

 is used a hay crop may be expected that fall, provided soil and 

 moisture conditions are suitable, or good grazing may be had begin- 

 ning soon after grain harvest and lasting until frost. The secret 

 of success with lespedeza is to get a full stand early. With a full 

 stand, adverse conditions are less harmful than with a thin stand. 



Soil and Fertilizers 



Lespedezas will grow on poor, worn soils and on soils too sour to 

 grow clover without the use of lime. On very sour land lime is bene- 

 ficial, but except on such soils lime has not proved necessary. Phos- 

 phates have caused increased yields and should be used unless the 

 soil is good, in which case they are not necessary. Moisture is usually 

 the controlling factor in growth. While lespedezas, especially Ko- 

 rean, have shown remarkable ability to live on heavy soils during 



1 This leaflet supersedes Farmers' Bulletin 1143, Lespedeza as a Forage Crop. 

 2 



