Consider-the-Lilies Web Gallery
Japanese Clover
This is not a wildflower I found growing in the "field" but I still count it as one of the lilies of the field.
This colony of little beauties is growing through hard-packed clay at the edge of my unpaved driveway—and therein lies a tale, and this time not of "unintended consequences," which often seems to be the case when an alien plant is brought to North America.
No, in this instance, unlike some other immigrant flora, of which Autumn Olive and Rosa multiflora are two regrettable examples, it is a beneficial import.
First noted in the southern United States, it is believed to have arrived from Japan along with other imported plant material. By the 1860's it had spread enough for the combatant sides on Civil War battlefields to name it "Yankee clover" or "Rebel clover."
Now naturalized in the lower 48-states, it has proven to be a valuable immigrant: Not only will Japanese Clover grow where most plants won't—especially on eroding banks and wastelands—its roots improve the soil through nitrogen fixation. This member of the Pea family is a bountiful producer of a legume that is a superior forage for livestock because of the high protein content. (Some of the Peas to be seen in the Gallery are Eastern Redbud, Birdfoot Trefoil, Panicled Tick Trefoil, and Perennial Sweet Pea.)
These attributes have led to this ground cover, also known as Common Lespedeza, to be widely adopted, along with other bushier, native members of its family, for pasturage, as well as for erosion control and soil improvement in drier sections of the United States.
But these attributes not being apparent at a glance, what attracted me to this lily was its delicate pink blossom.
The tiny Japanese Clover blossom, is along with the flowers of Scarlet Pimpernel and Speedwell, and some others in the Gallery, exemplars of the lilies of the field .
To appreciate these tiny jewels, one must bend the knee and consider them—or visit the Gallery!
The Japanese adorn a traditional oriental garden with the subtle beauty of these pastel lavender and white blossoms.
It is easy to see why, isn't it?
Any thoughts, pro or con? Why not drop me an anonymous note at the Comments page?
OR
Go back to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.