Tephrosia villosa
Tephrosia villosa
- Native to:
- Angola, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guam, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Lesser Sunda Is., Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
NMNH
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Tephrosia
- Species:
- Tephrosia villosa
- USDA Symbol:
- TEVI8
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock after fire; common in fire-maintained sandhills and pine flatwoods.
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
- Notes:
- native to dry, open habitats
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 inoculation with appropriate Bradyrhizobium.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI