Also known as: Lespedeza cuneata
Common names: Chinese bush clover, silky bush clover, Himalayan bush clover, hairy lespedeza
Here's a link to a map to show if this weed is found where you live:
If you click on the states below the map, you can see which counties report it being present.
Wouldn't that be nice to get some of this weed and feed it to the goats to help prevent worming problems ?!
Someone could go into business selling this weed if you can find it around where you live !
They say it is an invasive weed, so it should be managed properly (let them eat the weed down before it flowers and spreads out of control).
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I would *absolutely* not rely on lespedeza as my only form of worm control-but it is a great adjunct. It can grow to about 3' when left uncut...it is stemmy, with small leaves. It is not pretty or wildflowery but it does get tiny purple flowers in the late summer. Most hay farmers hate it and work to kill it off. We are leaving it alone, even in areas where the goats won't be. I'd love to figure out how to bale it. It dries very fast and you can't use a tedder on it or you will lose all the leaves. Supposedly it has nearly the protein content of alfalfa and of course the tannins which *aid* in worm control. I haven't yet determined what its calcium content is. I have seen seed for sale but I'm not sure where I saw it.
It's funny....this is the 2nd thread that has appeared again after a year also ! I forgot I even started it.
That's great to hear you have acres of it.
Do you use anything for deworming ?
I've decided to just stick with Molly's herbals. I tried to grow some kind of beautiful purple clover or alfalfa (bought a lot of seed), but the other weeds grew in as well and all that brush I spent nurturing and growing, my husband got tired of looking at it and mowed it down. It was going to be in a future pasture area but they don't look like they need their pasture areas expanded yet. So, now it's just mowed down grass.
I did try and propagate a weed that looked similar, not sure it's the same weed as the pics. It was overtaken by other weeds.
Guess I'm not a good deworming herb farmer. It's so much easier to just buy it.
You're very lucky to have all those good weeds for your goats. But I'm not sure I would solely rely on it for deworming as it might require a combination of herbs to repel the worms.
Thank for sharing ! Next spring, take a pic ! I love seeing fields of flowers and goats "swimming" through the tall grasses and wildflowers.
I have *acres* of lespedeza and the goats LOVE it! Since I'm a year late on this conversation...if someone wants some next year, let me know. It has died back now for the winter.
I would recommend searching images in google images for the common names: they do look a little different. And they are found around IL !
If you can get some (they are a nuisance invasive weed), please send me some !
Here are a few pics I found.
Also, they mentioned in one of the articles on that worm control site, these other plants that help "repel" worms:
plantain, chicory, and wormwood (which does lead to toxic compound buildups).
~Lisa
Lespedeza_cuneata_inflorescence.jpg
slk_bshclover1.jpg