Crotalaria atrorubens

Crotalaria atrorubens

Native to:
Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan-South Sudan

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Crotalaria
Species:
Crotalaria atrorubens
USDA Symbol:
CRAT5

Growth Characteristics

Height:
100 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
Bloom Colors:
yellow

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from root crown following fire; common in fire-maintained pine flatwoods and sandhills.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
Common in open, disturbed areas and savannas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
14–30 days
Notes:
Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Typical of Crotalaria, seeds have physical dormancy.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI