Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Calopogonium

Species:

Calopogonium mucunoides

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb , Vine

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

blue, purple

Ground Cover:

Yes

Native Range

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Palau, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, United States, Windward Is.

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

fertile, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers tropical and subtropical climates

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Scarification or hot water treatment improves germination rates. Seeds have hard seed coat typical of legumes.

Propagation data sourced from Claude AI