Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

JUNE-JULY

Leadplant Amorpha canescens Pursh (PEA FAMILY)

Leadplant is a low perennial shrub, canescent throughout, with erect stems. The alternate leaves are pinnately compound with the leaflets of an odd number (15 to 51) and small in size, 1/4-1/2 in. long. The inflorescence is a crowded raceme 2-4 in. long. The blue flowers show only a single small petal with bright yellow to yellowish-orange conspicuous anthers. The fruit is a small legume about 1/8 in. long. American Indians used the dried leaves for tea and pipe smoking. They also cut small pieces of the stem and attached one end to the skin by moistening it; they then burned the stem down to the skin to ward off neuralgia and rheumatism.