Indigofera Species, Scarlet Pea, Texas Indigo

Another common name for this deciduous native plant is butterfly shoestring-pea. It is a prostrate (.3 to 1.0 feet) legume with trailing,...Read More spreading stems that arise from from a woody base and a large tuberous root. The stems run mostly along the ground and are between 4 and 30 inches long. It usually forms a mat of vegetation and sometimes forms colonies. The soft, small leaves are divided into 5-9 leaflets and are covered with very fine hairs. The pea-shaped, 3/4 inch, deep pink to pale scarlet blooms occur from April through September in clusters with the blooms forming a rough circle. Forming from July through Septmber, the approximately 1.5 inch long seedpods are straight or somewhat angled. The seed germination rate is low as well as rate of establishment through cuttings and rate of success of transplant establishment. It is recommended that it be started from seeds.

It is tolerant of sandy soils and various ranges of soil fertility; however, the soil must be well-drained. It will grow in neutral to slightly alkaline soils, but it performs best in soils with a neutral PH. Usually found in soil that is not over 12 inches deep, it adapts to a wide range of soil depths. It is commonly found on prairies, woodlands and along creeks. In Texas, it grows in the Pineywoods, Gulf Prairies and Marshes, Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savannah, South Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau and the Rolling Plains regions. Being a legume, it has a high nitrogen fixation potential which means it is useful for adding nitrogen to the soil.

In addition, it is an excellent plant to use for erosion control. It is eaten by wildlife (is a good deer browse) and livestock including cattle, sheep, goats and horses. As a small mammal cover, it is also valuable. It is a larval host for butterflies including the Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis), False Duskywing (Gesta invisa), Ceraunus Blue, Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius) and Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola).

I do not know if the photos I posted are Indigofera miniata or one of its varieties because I have been unable to locate information by which I am able to compare them. The specimen was growing in sandy soil east of Seguin, Texas. In Texas, there are at least 2 other types which are Indigofera miniata var. leptosepala (western indigo) and Indigofera miniata var. texana (Texas indigo).