Lead plant is a short shrub that behaves like a perennial herb. Stems are usually branched, hairy except in older plants. Leaves are alternate, oblong, 1-2" long, 1/2-1 1/2" wide, odd-pinnate with 5-20 pairs of oblong leaflets, and sparingly to densely hairy, with a grayish or whitish appeareance. The inflorescences are dense racemes of 5-50 bluish to violet flowers arising from the bases of upper leaves. Photo by Kathy Kendrick.
Interesting Notes Lead plant is a highly palatable range species and its presence on prairies is generally perceived to be the result of good land management. Because of its long, stringy roots, it is also called Prairie Shoestring.
Growing Tips Lead plants grows well in a mesic to dry soil in full sun. There is a variability within the species on foliage grayness and it may take several years for the gray foliage to fully develop.
