Deer Vetch is a woody perennial shrub native to California and Baja California that grows 3-5 feet tall and wide. It has attractive yellow pea-like flowers in spring and summer that attract butterflies and bees. Deer Vetch is drought tolerant, needs full sun, and grows quickly, making it suitable for erosion control, butterfly gardens, or areas where soil needs improvement. It can reseed readily and increases usable soil nitrogen.

1. Deer Vetch (Deer Weed) – Acmispon glaber (ACK-mee-spon GLAY-bur)
Formerly Lotus scoparius var. scoparius (LOW-tus sko-PARR-ee-us)
Family: Fabaceae (Pea family)
Native to: California to Baja CA. Variant scoparius in coastal CA. Found in coastal scrublands, coastal
backdune/prairie, chaparral, desert washes. Increases after fire.
Growth characteristics: woody perennial shrub
mature height:
to 5 ft
mature width: 3-5 ft
Erect to prostrate shrub with many green branches arising from a woody base. Is drought-deciduous if
not watered in summer. Quick growth, lives 7-20 years in wild but may be only 2-3 in garden.
Blooms/fruits: Flowering depends on rainfall, but usually early spring to summer. Plants covered with
yellow pea-like flowers that turn orange after pollination.
Very attractive in a subtle way.
Uses in the garden: as a fast-growing shrub, for backs of beds, for erosion control and in butterfly
gardens. Attractive flowers. Useful when first establishing a garden – increases useable soil nitrogen.
Tolerates heat, full sun. Drought tolerant - good for xeriscaping.
Sensible substitute for: non-native bush peas such as Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum)
Attracts: Fantastic habitat plant. Nectar source for butterflies. Larval (caterpillar food ) for endangered
Palos Verdes Blue butterfly. Nectar also attracts many types of bees and other insects. Birds eat seed,
deer eat the foliage (hence its common name).
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun
Any texture; any pH, including alkali
Very drought tolerant once established; loses leaves if no summer water
None needed; actually increases soil nitrogen
Management: Easy to grow. Lightly prune in late summer if needed. Otherwise, just let the plant go.
Propagation: from seed: plants may reseed readily in bare soil. The plants may be transplanted
when young (be sure to dig down to depth of taproot). Otherwise difficult from seed – seeds need
special treatments. From cuttings: ? we’ve had low rates of success.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1-3, 8, 10-14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26
1/7/14
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