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Marcus, Joseph A.

Indigofera miniata

Indigofera miniata Ortega

Scarlet Pea, Coastal Indigo, Texas Indigo, Western Indigo

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonym(s): Indigofera leptosepala, Indigofera miniata var. florida, Indigofera miniata var. leptosepala, Indigofera miniata var. miniata, Indigofera miniata var. texana

USDA Symbol: INMI

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

From the Image Gallery

37 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Stems prostrate, up to about 2 feet long.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , KS , LA , OK , TX
Native Habitat: Abundant in open areas of the eastern two thirds of Texas. Well-drained sand, loam, clay, caliche.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Conditions Comments: Scarlet pea is not a constant bloomer, but when it does the flowers are impressive! The flowers are a striking salmon pink. Being a low growing, trailing plant, it works nicely tucked among short vegetation such as Hairy tridens.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Relished by deer and grazed by livestock.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Grey Hairstreak, Common Dogface, Reakirt's Blue
Deer Resistant: No

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Seed Collection: Collect seed in late summer, fall when pods turn brown.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Blooms all summer. Cut back lightly to encourage blooms.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0228 Collected June 3, 1992 in Comal County by Mary Beth White
NPSOT 0787 Collected Apr 27, 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 0065 Collected May 19, 1991 in Bexar County by Lottie Millsaps

3 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Bibliography

Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Indigofera miniata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Indigofera miniata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Indigofera miniata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-30
Research By: TWC Staff

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