Leadplant

Amorpha canescens

Low silvery-grey prairie shrub with deep purple flower spikes contrasting against the foliage. A cornerstone plant of North American prairie restoration.

Hardiness ratings

Leadplant hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 2–9 −45.6 °C to −1.1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 2–9 −40 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–5 −15 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Extremely deep root system — 4 m+ taproot supports drought tolerance and prairie ecology
  • Tolerates fire — resprouts from rootstock after burns
  • Major host plant for native bees and several butterflies

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Leadplant against your zones

Reference

Leadplant on Wikipedia