Bush Clover 'Samidare' is a deciduous, semi-woody shrub prized for its arching, fountain-like habit and rosy-purple flowers that arrive in late summer. Hardy from zones 4 to 8, this plant reaches 4 to 5 feet tall and spreads 4 to 6 feet wide, with bluish-green trifoliate leaves and drooping flower racemes that can stretch 2 feet long when in full bloom. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, tolerates drought once established, and performs particularly well in infertile, sandy soils with good drainage. The 'Samidare' cultivar blooms on new growth, making it responsive to late-winter pruning and able to recover with vigorous spring growth.
Partial Sun
Moderate
4-8
60in H x 72in W
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Moderate
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This shrub earns its space in the garden through sheer floral drama. When the rosy-purple flowers arrive in August and September, the arching stems bend under their own weight, creating a waterfall effect that few other summer-blooming plants can match. Its tolerance for drought and poor soil means once established, it asks almost nothing of you. The plant's semi-woody nature and ability to die back in harsh winters makes it adaptable to colder zones; simply cut it to the ground in late winter and watch it surge back to full size within a single growing season.
Bush Clover is used primarily in naturalistic landscape design, where its fountain-like form and late-season flowers provide structure and color when many other shrubs are fading. Its arching growth habit works well in mixed borders, and the showy flower panicles attract pollinators during late summer.
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Prune as needed in late winter to early spring to maintain shape and encourage abundant flowering, since this plant blooms on new growth. Many gardeners simply cut the entire plant to the ground in late winter; it will respond with rapid annual growth reaching 3 to 6 feet tall during the following growing season. This approach rejuvenates older plants and ensures maximum bloom production.
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