Growing poor man's lucerne

Lespedeza cuneata is a drought-tolerant, perennial, non-bloating legume that delivers high-quality grazing and hay and is a prolific seed producer.

Poor man’s lucerne (Lespedeza cuneata), also commonly known as sericea lespedeza, is a shrubby, deciduous perennial plant that reaches a height of about 1,5m. The stems are densely leaved and coarse, and occur singly or clustered with branches. The leaves are club-shaped, with a round to flat top and a noticeable point at the tip. Flowers are yellowish-white with purple to pink markings and appear from mid-July to early October.

“L. cuneata has been recognised as quality forage due to its high levels of crude protein,” says Dr Loraine van den Berg of the Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute. Animals take a day or two to get used to it, but thereafter consume it readily. “L. cuneata should be grazed on a rotational basis when the plants are 150mm to 200mm tall. To ensure optimal regrowth and yield, it should not be cut or grazed below 120mm.