Crotalaria sphaerocarpa
Crotalaria sphaerocarpa
- Native to:
- Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Crotalaria
- Species:
- Crotalaria sphaerocarpa
- USDA Symbol:
- CRSP9
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock following fire. Found in fire-maintained sandhills and pine flatwoods ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
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. Seeds may benefit from hot water treatment or mechanical scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI