Chinese bush clover is a broadleaf herbaceous perennial weed in the legume family (Fabaceae) from Asia and Australia. It was first planted in the US in NC in 1896 to control erosion and as forage for livestock. It is multi-branched up to 6 ft tall with dense compound leaves. Flowers occur singly or in clusters of up to three in the leaf axils. The root is a long taproot making it impossible to pull. The plant is considered invasive in many areas. It may be allelopathic, producing substances that chemically inhibit the growth of other plants. It forms extensive monocultures and develops an extensive seed bank in the soil, ensuring its long residence at a site. Its high tannin content makes it unpalatable to livestock and most native wildlife. This plant prefers full sun and deep, well-drained, medium to coarse-textured acidic soils. It is found in open habitats such as meadows, open woodlands, fields, pond edges, and roadsides. Mowing plants in the flowering stage for two or three consecutive years may help control it. Plants should be cut as low as possible. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Compound leaves have 3 leaflets that are narrowly oblong and pointed, with awl-shaped spines and wedge-shaped bases; leaflets are covered with densely flattened hairs, giving a grayish-green or silvery appearance.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; White
Flower shape
Lipped; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers small (about ¼ in.) creamy white to pale yellow with central purple spots, single or in clusters of 2-4 in the axils of upper and median leaves in summer
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit detail
The fruit is a legume pod containing one seed. Seeds tiny, bean-shaped, yellow to light brown. The pods are along the stem and clasping due to persistent sepals
Stem detail
Gray-green stems with hairs. Some may become woody
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia, Australia
Distribution
In the USA it has spread to Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin