Bloomipedia
Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)
Photo: Peter Chen 2.0 via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Leadplant

Amorpha canescens

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) is a shrub in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Leadplant is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 9 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.

19states where USDA records it
9Bloomipedia state lists include it
13,946U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Quick look

Amorpha canescens, known as leadplant, downy indigo bush, prairie shoestring, or buffalo bellows, is a small, perennial semi-shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to North America. It has very small purple flowers with yellow stamens which are grouped in racemes. Depending on location, the flowers bloom from late June through mid-September.

  • It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 19 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Minnesota, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
  • In Wisconsin, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 4 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 3,282 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #25 among the 152 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,880 research-grade sightings of it in Wisconsin, ranking #41 among the 161 flowers on our Wisconsin list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,638 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #68 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (712 records)
Bloom time in the 9 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
MinnesotaNativeJune–July3,282
WisconsinNativeJune–July2,880
IllinoisNativeJune–July2,638
MissouriNativefew records (29)986
KansasNativefew records (15)930
South DakotaNativefew records (31)875
IowaNativeJune–July696
NebraskaNativefew records (17)451
North DakotaNativefew records (22)262

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Resolved Taxon,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 6 of our 9 states.
See each state
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S5, secure in Kansas.
South Dakota
No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
North Dakota
No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (S1), WY (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Dried leaves make a yellow-colored tea.” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records leadplant in 19 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine.

Wisconsin counties with USDA records: Adams, Barron, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clay, Coles, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Morgan, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermilion, Whiteside, Will, Woodford.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Leadplant a low shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 8.0 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance
Low
Drought tolerance
High
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
5.5 to 8.0
Minimum temperature tolerated
-38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
100
Annual precipitation range
20 to 45 inches
Minimum root depth
20 inches
Salinity tolerance
Low
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Long
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Brown · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for AMCA6. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Amorpha brachycarpa.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 632 counties across 18 states; the most are in Missouri (96), Kansas (85), Minnesota (70).

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

More Minnesota flowers

Bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Bird's-foot trefoil

Lotus corniculatus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in MN: June–August
Purple crownvetch (Securigera varia)

Purple crownvetch

Securigera varia

★ PA state beautification and conservation plantIntroduced

🌼 Blooms in MN: June–July
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

Red clover

Trifolium pratense

★ VT state flowerIntroduced

🌼 Blooms in MN: June–October

Sources