Cheesytoes
Stylosanthes hamata
- Native to:
- Aruba, Bahamas, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
Dinesh Valke (www.flickr.com) from Thane, India
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Stylosanthes
- Species:
- Stylosanthes hamata
- USDA Symbol:
- STHA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- livestock forage, nitrogen fixation
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from crown and root system after fire; commonly found in fire-prone tropical and subtropical grasslands.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to tropical and subtropical regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification; hot water treatment or mechanical scarification improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI