Kummerowia striata aka Japanese Bush Clover

Kummerowia striata is in Fabaceae, the bean family. Common names include Japanese clover and common lespedeza. It is native from Russia's Far East to northern Indo-China. It also grows in the eastern United States. There, it grows in fields, open woods, and disturbed ground. In Japan, it grows by roads and on riverbanks. Garden sources call it a summer annual. Kew also records perennial and subshrub forms within this species. These live for years or have a woody base.

The plant spreads, with stems that rise upward. Its green leaves give the growth a fine texture. They grow at alternate points along the stems. Each compound leaf has three leaflets; this form is called trifoliate. The leaflets range from oval to oblong, with smooth edges. Their tips may be broader than their bases. Each leaflet is about 0.02–0.08 feet [0.006–0.025 metres] long. The stems may be green or purple. Short white hairs lie flat against them and point down.

Small, pea-like flowers grow where leaves meet the stems. They grow alone or in groups of up to three. Each flower has five petals, which are pink, purple, or white. Bloom starts around midsummer and lasts one to two months. Some flowers stay closed and can pollinate themselves. The fruit is a small legume with one seed. Game birds and songbirds eat the seeds. Deer and other animals that eat plants browse the leaves.

Give this plant full sun and soil that drains well. It grows best with moderate moisture but can withstand drought. Sandy soil suits it, but it also tolerates clay and loam. It grows in shallow, rocky soil as well. Its stated soil range runs from acid to neutral. Grow new plants from seed. Plants For A Future suggests sowing in spring in Britain. This would allow growth as an annual. The source notes that knowledge of growing it is limited. Its advice is thus tentative, not firm. The plant can act as a weed. This can cause problems in lawns and other managed ground.

Farmers use the plant for grazing, hay, and green manure. Root bacteria fix nitrogen in nodules, helping to enrich soil. Its broad root system also helps restore soil. Plants For A Future lists cooked seeds and young plants as food. Ground seeds can add to grain flour for bread. The same source records past use as a medicine. These uses include treatments for fever and diarrhoea. Such records do not show that these treatments work. It reports no known hazards, but does not establish safety for pets.