Slender Leaf Rattlebox
Crotalaria ochroleuca
- Native to:
- Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
M. de Vries (nl.wikipedia.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Crotalaria
- Species:
- Crotalaria ochroleuca
- USDA Symbol:
- CROC80
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, cream
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of the hard seed coat improves germination. Seeds may benefit from hot water treatment or mechanical scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI