Tephrosia virginiana: Country Or Region Of Origin
US
Plant Profile: Tephrosia virginiana
Taxonomy: Tephrosia virginianaNames
Goat's Rue, Virginia Goat's Rue
Phonetic Spelling:tef-ROH-see-uh vir-jin-ee-AN-uh
Genus:Tephrosia
Species:virginiana
Family:Fabaceae
Belonging to the pea family, this plant features stems that can either stand upright or spread out. It thrives in dry, open woodlands and is challenging to transplant successfully. The flowers resemble those of peas and range in color from lemon-yellow to rose. It typically blooms from spring through summer. Additionally, it is toxic to both insects and fish.
Tephrosia virginiana Feature Summary
Tephrosia virginiana Image Gallery
Tags
#yellow
#poisonous
#full sun tolerant
#perennial
#wildlife plant
#pink flowers
#moths
#native perennial
#summer flowers
#native garden
#spring interest
#wildflower garden
#larval host plant
#food source summer
#food source fall
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly
#partial shade tolerant
#pollinator garden
#audubon
#southern cloudywing butterfly
#northern cloudywing butterfly
Similar Plants
Tephrosia virginiana Feature Summary
Attributes
Eastern US and Canada
This plant supports Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus) larvae, which has two broods (possibly three) from June-early October, and Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) larvae, which broods a little earlier than May-July. The adults of these butterflies feed on the nectar of blue, purple, pink, or white flowers from a variety of species. Attracts butterflies.
Not edible
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
Displays from July to October.
Summer
Fall
Flowers
0.75 in. flower; yellow standard petal often flushed with pink and a rose-pink keel. Blooms from May to June.
Pink
Gold/Yellow
Spring
< 1 inch
Poisonous to Humans
toxic to insects and fish
Tephrosin
Stems
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Poisonous
Wildflower
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Leaves
Green
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Alternate
Oblong
Stem
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Mass Planting
Small groups
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Small Space
Coastal
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Moths
Poisonous to Humans
Tephrosia virginiana Image Gallery
Tephrosia virginiana Attributes
Tephrosia virginiana: Distribution
Eastern US and Canada
Tephrosia virginiana: Wildlife Value
This plant supports Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus) larvae, which has two broods (possibly three) from June-early October, and Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) larvae, which broods a little earlier than May-July. The adults of these butterflies feed on the nectar of blue, purple, pink, or white flowers from a variety of species. Attracts butterflies.
Tephrosia virginiana: Edibility
Not edible
Tephrosia virginiana: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Tephrosia virginiana: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Tephrosia virginiana Fruit
Tephrosia virginiana: Fruit Description
Displays from July to October.
Tephrosia virginiana: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Tephrosia virginiana Flowers
Tephrosia virginiana: Flower Description
0.75 in. flower; yellow standard petal often flushed with pink and a rose-pink keel. Blooms from May to June.
Tephrosia virginiana: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Pink
Tephrosia virginiana: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Tephrosia virginiana: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Tephrosia virginiana: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Tephrosia virginiana Poisonous to Humans
Tephrosia virginiana: Poison Symptoms
toxic to insects and fish
Tephrosia virginiana: Poison Toxic Principle
Tephrosin
Tephrosia virginiana: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Tephrosia virginiana: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Tephrosia virginiana: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Tephrosia virginiana Whole Plant Traits
Tephrosia virginiana: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Tephrosia virginiana Cultural Conditions
Tephrosia virginiana: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Tephrosia virginiana: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Tephrosia virginiana: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Tephrosia virginiana: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Tephrosia virginiana: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Tephrosia virginiana: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Tephrosia virginiana: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Tephrosia virginiana Leaves
Tephrosia virginiana: Leaf Color
Green
Tephrosia virginiana: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Tephrosia virginiana: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Tephrosia virginiana: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Tephrosia virginiana: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Tephrosia virginiana Stem
Tephrosia virginiana: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Tephrosia virginiana Landscape
Tephrosia virginiana: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Tephrosia virginiana: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Tephrosia virginiana: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Tephrosia virginiana: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Tephrosia virginiana: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
