Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Hoita macrostachya is a species of legume known by the common name large leatherroot. It is native to California and Baja California where it can be found in moist areas of a number of habitat types. This is a hairy, hairy perennial herb producing a tall, branching stem approaching two meters in maximum height. The sparse, widely spaced leaves are each made up of three leaflets up to 10 centimeters long each attached to a long petiole. The leaflet blades are hairy. The plant produces many clublike raceme flower clusters on sturdy stalks from the stem. The flower cluster contains many purplish pealike flowers. The fruit is a hairy, veiny brown legume pod under a centimeter long containing a kidney-shaped seed.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

4 - 7 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Pink, Purple

Flowering season

Summer

Special uses

Deer resistant

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low, Moderate

Soil drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow, Standing

Soil description

Tolerant of a variety of garden soils as long as sufficient moisture is available.

Sunset Zones

5, 6*, 7*, 8*, 9*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Site type

Streamsides, marshes, springmoist places

Plant communities

Chaparral, Foothill Woodland, Valley Grassland, Yellow Pine Forest, Wetland-Riparian

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 1 likely

Confirmed Likely

Agonopterix posticella