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(Acmispon glaber)
Common Deerweed (Acmispon glaber)
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Garth Harwood
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Garth Harwood
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Garth Harwood | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Garth Harwood | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2019-07-21T14:29:20-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Acmispon glaber, commonly known as Common Deerweed, is a deciduous subshrub native to the chaparral and coastal sage scrub of California and the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. It typically grows to a height and width of 2-3 feet. The plant has green, erect, and somewhat branched stems with small, deciduous, pinnate leaves that consist of three to six leaflets. Common Deerweed blooms from March to August, featuring small, pea-like yellow flowers that are clustered together in inflorescences of two to seven in the upper leaf axils. As the flowers mature, they turn reddish. The fruit is a curved legume containing two seeds.
Common Deerweed is valued for its drought tolerance and ability to thrive in nutrient-poor soils, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping and restoration projects. It is also used in native plant gardens and as a pioneer species for stabilizing disturbed soils. The plant’s flowers are attractive to a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies, enhancing its ecological value. In cultivation, it requires full sun to part shade, tolerates a range of water conditions from medium to low, and prefers soils with medium to slow drainage. While generally disease-free, it can be susceptible to root rot in poorly drained soils.CC BY-SA 4.0
Common Deerweed is valued for its drought tolerance and ability to thrive in nutrient-poor soils, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping and restoration projects. It is also used in native plant gardens and as a pioneer species for stabilizing disturbed soils. The plant’s flowers are attractive to a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies, enhancing its ecological value. In cultivation, it requires full sun to part shade, tolerates a range of water conditions from medium to low, and prefers soils with medium to slow drainage. While generally disease-free, it can be susceptible to root rot in poorly drained soils.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Shrub
- Height: 2-3 feet
- Width: 2-3 feet
- Growth Rate: Rapid
- Flower Color: Yellow
- Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: Low, Medium
- Drainage: Medium, Slow
Common Uses
Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Drought Tolerant, Groundcover, Low Maintenance, Showy Flowers, Street Planting
Natural Habitat
Chaparral and coastal sage scrub of California and the Baja California peninsula in Mexico
Other Names
Common Names: Deer Weed , Deervetch , California Broom , Western Bird’s-Foot Trefoil
Scientific Names: Lotus scoparius , Acmispon glaber , Lotus scoparius var. scoparius , Syrmatium glabrum , Hosackia glabra , Lotus scoparius var. perplexans , Lotus diffusus , Hosackia scoparia , Lotus scoparius f. prostratus , Anisolotus glaber
GBIF Accepted Name: Acmispon glaber (Vogel) Brouillet