Lespedeza bicolor Summer Beauty

Lespedeza bicolor 'Summer Beauty' is a superb variety of bush clover whose vividly coloured flowering truly enchants the entire second half of summer. With a very graceful, fountain-like habit, this semi-woody plant offers clusters of pea flowers in shades of purplish pink, mauve and lilac at the end of its strong but flexible branches. Its light foliage, divided into leaflets, reminds us that it is an elegant member of the Fabaceae family. Not very demanding in terms of soil type, Lespedeza will prefer it to be well-drained and light, not too dry and not too poor, to enhance flowering. It excels in the background of a flower bed, overlooking a wall or in a large pot on the terrace!  

Lespedeza bicolor 'Summer Beauty' is a horticultural selection. The species type is mainly native to China and Japan. It is a shrub with a woody base and annual stems in climates that regularly suffer from frosts. The stems, in this bicolor species, are more woody and stronger than those of its close relative, Lespedeza thunbergii. Its leaflets are more rounded and its flowers are larger and even more decorative. In cultivation it has few requirements, other than heat and full sun. Relatively economical with water, it doesn't however like very arid situations, high alkalinity, or overly heavy, clayey soils. While not very sensitive to cold when mature, it does require good protection around the stump when young. The root system of this plant is superficial and equipped with nitrogen-fixing nodes, reflecting good adaptation to degraded soils.

The 'Summer Beauty' bush clover forms a large sheaf of upright stems emerging from the stump from spring. It will reach about 1.30 m (4 ft) in height and 1.50 m (5 ft) in width within a few years. The stems are more or less destroyed by frost in winter, without harming the plant. The foliage, deciduous, resembles that of clover: it is composed of leaves cut into 3 rounded leaflets, measuring 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) long, slightly bluish green, turning yellow before falling. Flowering takes place between July and September, lasting approximately 4 weeks. It takes the form of long thin clusters of papilionaceous flowers, whose weight slightly bends the branches. Nectar- and honey-producing, it is much visited by bees, bumblebees and butterflies.  

The abundant flowering of Lespedeza is welcome at the end of summer, like that of autumn asters and shrub sages. Its habit is unusual, and its foliage contrasts with more classic foliage. As such the bush clover is an architectural and beautifully coloured plant, useful for creating contrast and highlights in the garden. Easy to grow and undemanding, it is perhaps above a wall or a retaining wall that it will most grab the attention. It will also create great effect in a large rockery among carpets of thyme, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, and tufts of Erigeron karvinskianus. Also superb in combination with Perovskias with their beautiful soft blue flowers, or the silver foliage of the Powis Castle artemisia. Match the shrub's colours with other shades of blue, mauve and pink, or contrast it with yellow flowers for example.