What is Japanese clover (Lespedeza)?
What is Japanese Clover (Lespedeza)? Common Lespedeza, often referred to as Japanese Clover, is a weed species native to China and Japan. Known in Asia as Kummerowia Striata, the plant was first observed in the U.S. in the 1840’s.
Where does Japanese clover come from?
Natural Japanese Clover is found primarily in China and Japan. It is invasive to North America and is found along the east coast from New York to Florida, although it also has been seen as far west as New Mexico. It’s unusual to encounter a single plant of Japanese Clover; instead, you’re more likely to come upon a group of them.
What is Japanese clover good for?
Japanese Clover is used in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory. The plant promotes circulation, removes heat, and detoxes blood. It has been historically used to cure diarrhea, wounds, abscesses, and nausea. Fever can be treated with it; additionally, it may help with dizziness, nausea, vertigo, and stimulate appetite.
What does a Japanese clover leaf look like?
The Japanese Clover weed has wiry, sharp stems. Its leaves are dark green, and trifoliate; they have three oblong, smooth leaflets with a prominent mid-vein. The leaf veins run at a 45-degree angle to a distinct middle vein. Each leaflet has smooth edges and a short spur on the end.
Is Japanese clover invasive?
It is on the Invasive Plant List for several states. Ecological Impacts: It has been used for wildlife food and cover, forage, cover or nurse crop, and as temporary cover for erosion control. This plant may become invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed.
Is Japanese clover edible?
The leaves and seeds of the plant are edible when cooked. The seeds can also be turned into meal and used in baking.
What gets rid of Japanese clover?
Mix one cup of vinegar with a cup of water and one drop of dish soap. Shake it up and spray it onto any patches of clover. The vinegar will dry out the clover's leaves, and the dish soap will make sure it sticks. You may need to spray over a series of weeks to kill off the clover completely.
Are there clovers in Japan?
Japanese-clover is native to China and Japan and introduced in southern and eastern North America. It was first observed in the 1840s near Charleston, Virginia, and spread rapidly during the Civil War, and by the 1880s was considered to have taken over immense areas of the South.
Can humans eat clover leaves?
All parts of the clover plant appear to be edible. Clover blossoms are used to make teas and jellies, while the leaves can be eaten cooked or raw. The seed pods may be reserved for animal feed production.
Is eating clover good for you?
They're edible from root to blossom, and you can eat them raw, boiled and even sauteed. Red clover has long been thought to improve blood-vessel health in menopausal women, according to a 1999 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Will clover choke out grass?
What is this? Clover fixes nitrogen from the air and releases it to the soil for other plants to use. Clover stays green for a longer season than grass. Clover is very persistent with an aggressive root structure, choking out most weeds.
What type of clover is best for lawns?
For lawns, the most popular is Dutch White Clover (Trifolium repens) because it is relatively low growing, tolerates close mowing, and out competes other foreign weeds.
Is Japanese clover an annual?
General description. Common lespedeza, also known as Japanese clover, (Kummerowia striata, syn. Lespedeza striata) is prostrate summer annual that forms 15-18 inch patches or larger.
What does clover symbol mean?
Description of Clover They are often associated with luck and good fortune, especially four-leaf clovers. Often associated with male energy, clovers are also seen as a symbol of protection. It is considered to be a charm against snakes, hexes, and other forms of negative energy.
Is Japanese clover perennial?
Lespedeza striata) is a persistent perennial, woody weed that competes with your grass for nutrients late in the summer. This common weed, which bears a pink to purple flower, is also known as Japanese clover, lespedeza clover, or annual lespedeza.
What is the meaning of clover Leaf?
The leaves of four-leaf clovers are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck. It's often said that Ireland is home to more four-leaf clovers than any other place, giving meaning to the phrase "the luck of the Irish."
Are all oxalis edible?
(While edible, yes, Oxalis leaves should only be consumed in moderation due to the fact that oxalic acid can inhibit calcium absorption, and people who are prone to kidney stone or who have gout or rheumatism should avoid it entirely.)
Is it OK to eat clover flowers?
Both the greens and flowers are edible. Dry the flowers for tea, or add to vodka and fruit jellies for a clover infusion. Fresh flowers and greens can be added to salads, cocktails, and to canapes and desserts for garnish. The flowers taste like raw green beans with just a hint of sweetness, and look just gorgeous.
Can you eat clover weeds?
Clover (Trifolium) Both are rich in protein, minerals, and carbohydrates. Small amounts of raw clover leaves can be chopped into salads or sautéed and added to dishes for a green accent. The flowers of both red and white clover can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried for clover tea.
What does clover taste like?
Clover flowers are the tastiest part of the plant, with a bit of sweetness to them. The flavor is reminiscent of fresh green beans or snap peas.
Where does Lespedeza grow?
Lespedeza is a summer annual weed in the bean family. It occurs in fields, open woods, roadsides and other disturbed sites. The preference is full sun, mesic conditions, and sandy soil, although other soil types are tolerated. It has been used in pastures for forage and hay and for nitrogen fixation in soils.
How long are alternate compound leaves?
The alternate compound leaves are trifoliate with leaflets being ¼-1" long and about one-third to one-half as much across. The leaflets are broadly oblong-elliptic to oblong-obovate in shape and margins are entire.
Apps
He was up in the hayfield and cut a piece and sent me a picture after using an app on his phone that I had recommended. There are quite a few apps that work nicely for answering those identification questions you may have in a pinch. After opening the app, you can hold your phone up to any plant or insect and it will identify them for you.
Verify
The main thing I always tell my dad is, we need to double-check what the app says afterward. I like to verify the identification and see how close the app got to getting it correct. You can just go ahead and type in the name to any search engine and see if the plant has similar characteristics or not.
Close
Anyway, back to my story of this mysterious bush clover. After some research, this plant ended up being lespedeza striata, or Japanese clover, a relative of lespedeza cuneata, or Chinese bush clover. I will give the app credit; it was close.
History
It is seen as a weed now, but did you know that these very characteristics of this plant are why they chose, at one time, to use it as erosion control, soil conservation and roadside revegetation? It all began during the Civil War, when people started noticing Japanese clover spreading in all directions, especially along railroads and trails traveled by cavalries..
What is the Japanese clover?
This common weed, which bears a pink to purple flower, is also known as Japanese clover, lespedeza clover, or annual lespedeza. It has a mat-forming habit and a semi-woody taproot, which hugs the ground. While getting rid of lespedeza clover may seem like a fruitless task, some control measures can be employed.
How to get rid of lespedeza weeds?
Removing Lespedeza from Lawns. The common lespedeza weed grows best in thin and dry turf that is compacted. Keeping your turf healthy by providing the proper nutrients for your soil type, maintaining the proper pH for your soil, and mowing on a regular schedule will impede the spread of these weeds and is one of the best ways for controlling ...
The Importance of Early Detection
An integrated pest/weed management (IPM) strategy leans heavily on monitoring the plants in your landscape. Early detection of lawn weeds such as lespedeza gives you a big leg up for being able to control them more quickly and easily.
Controlling Lespedeza Using Cultural Strategies
Cultural control in an IPM strategy includes proper mowing, watering and fertilizing tactics among other measures. Because lespedeza thrives in areas of thin turf, compacted turf and dry turf, boosting the health of your lawn naturally discourages weed growth. If your lawn is compacted, use a core aerator to loosen it.
Controlling Lespedeza in Early Stages
If you spot lespedeza in its early stages of growth when monitoring your lawn for weeds, you can remove it without using a herbicide. Hand pulling, hoeing or digging lespedeza prevents it from spreading.
Controlling Lespedeza With Chemicals
If using cultural control methods is prohibitive because of the large amount of lespedeza in your lawn, chemical treatment is another option. If you use a selective herbicide, which means it targets only certain weeds, you will have to read the label directions to find out if it kills lespedeza.
