Tephrosia spicata 'Awakening'

How can you not love a plant with the common name of spiked hoarypea? Tephrosia spicata is a little-known North American native deciduous legume, found in open fields from Kentucky south to Florida. With a common name of spiked hoarypea, you can imagine why few gardeners grow it. Easy to grow in a brutally hot and dry site, Spiked Hoarypea makes a small 6" tall x 18" wide clump of hairy leaves and stems, topped for us from June through August with inflorescences that arise from the leaf axils. The flowers which emerge white and age to pinky red are shaped like small butterbeans. Tephrosia spicata is our selection, native to our botanic garden here in Wake County, NC. If you prefer petunias and pansies, don't bother to try this cute, but seriously esoteric, rock garden plant.