Acmispon glaber (Deerweed)

Acmispon glaber (Deerweed) is a perennial or subshrub with many long, flexible green branches arising from a woody base. The branches boast arching sprays of bright yellow pea-like flowers, sometimes adorned with a red splotch on the back of the banner. Blooming from early spring to late summer, the blossoms are borne in 2-7 umbellate inflorescences in the axils of the leaves. The flimsy, alternate leaves are pinnately compound with 3-5 oblong leaflets covered with short, sparse hairs. The flowers are followed by small indehiscent pods bearing one to two seeds. Widely distributed in dry areas of California, Arizona, and Mexico, Deerweed is valued for its flowers and the pollinators that they attract. Flowers and seeds are an important food resource for various insects and seed-foraging rodents and birds. Deerweed is also considered desirable forage for deer, especially in drought or after a fire when the growth of herbaceous vegetation is sparse. Deerweed is an important, fast-growing, early successional species used extensively in roadside revegetation, erosion control, post-fire mitigation, and habitat restoration in California, especially in coastal and upland sage scrub.

• Grows up to 1-3 ft. tall (30-90 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm).
• Thrives in a wide variety of well-drained soils in full sun. Once established, it will want very little irrigation in the summer. Drought tolerant once established. Deerweed can become dormant and drop leaves during a prolonged summer drought, avoiding rather than enduring the worst annual drought conditions.
• Occasionally used in naturalistic, dry garden landscapes. Great for butterfly gardens or bee gardens.
• Can be cut back in late summer or early fall to promote new growth
• No serious pest or disease issues. Keep an eye out for flower galls.
• Propagate by seed.
• Native to Western California and northern Baja California.