Common Name:

General Information

Lespedeza cyrtobotrya is an erect, much-branched deciduous shrub growing from 1 - 3 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and for basket making, and also for use as an ingredient in cosmetic preparations. It is used in soil stabilization projects and is also grown as an ornmental in gardens.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

E. Asia - Russia (Far East), northern China, Japan, Korea.

Habitat

Meadows and grassy places in hills and low mountains, C. and S. Japan[]. Dry mountain slopes, thickets and forests; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Lespedeza cyrtobotrya is a moderately cold-hardy plant, the rootstock being able to tolerate temperatures down to about -20°c when fully dormant. The top growth is much less hardy, however, and will be killed back to near the roots in all but very mild winters. However, plants will generally resprout freely from the base in the following spring and then flower in late summer[]. A long growing season is required if the seed is to ripen successfully, and a hot summer will more fully ripen the wood, thus making it more likely to survive the winter[].
Easily grown in a light loam in full sun[]. Plants are often found growing in acid, sandy or gravelly soils in the wild[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves and plant tops - cooked[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is sometimes used in soil stabilization programmes in N. Korea[].
The plant has a long flowering time, and the flowers are a good source of food for bees[].

Other Uses

The branchlets may be used for making baskets[].

An extract of the whole plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an antifoaming agent, antimicrobial, antioxidant, humectant, skin conditioner and protector[].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in individual pots in a frame. It can be difficult to get the cuttings through their first winter, it is best to plunge the pots in a bed of ashes in a sheltered border outdoors[].