Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Ground plum and Partridge Pea – 2022
Ground Plum is not a plum… Partridge Pea is not a pea… but they are both wonderful native plants.
Ground Plum’s Latin name is not quite as pretty, Astragalus crassicarpus…sounds like I’m gargling! It IS, however, fabulous for bee lawns.
It’s a low-growing, spreading legume that prefers full sun and well-drained soils. It works as a ground cover, and in rock gardens due to its short height and preference for dry soils. Mine is with my carpet roses.
The plant grows to about 12 inches but that is spread out, not up. It has small pinnate leaves and, in Spring, clusters of pea-like blossoms with hues of lavender, purple and white. The thick-walled seed pods (as noted in the 1st photo) rest on the ground and look like plums. The Dakota and Lakota Indians ate them but I wouldn’t really suggest it unless you know EXACTLY what you’re eating. Here’s more on Ground Plum from Minnesota Wildflowers.
Ahhh, this is probably my FAVORITE native. Partridge Pea, an annual self-seeding darling.
Here’s a photo for perspective. It’s the same spot…
‘Partridge Pea’ took a year to get going but I love it! This is my 3rd year of having Partridge Pea and it DOES spread. Some may call it invasive, I call it beautiful. I harvested some of the seeds and have placed some at the edge of my rain garden.
The plant grows to about 2 ft. tall and is loaded with yellow flowers that have a red center. the flowers attract bees and butterflies.
Seed pods are eaten by gamebirds and songbirds, and the plant provides excellent cover for gamebirds and browse for deer. The pods will burst open sending seed willy nilly!
