09/12/2026
Let Talk About Plants🦋🐝🐛Kidneywood, I am liking this plant more and more as time goes by. This plant has so much character, from the interesting shapes and growing habit to the tiny, dainty little leaves, to the wonderfully fragrant blooms. Most of all there is always a lot of pollinator action where this plant is growing. Kidneywood will receive tons of attention from native bees, honey bees, the interesting tarantula wasps and of course numerous butterflies when it is bloom. This is a Native shrub or small tree and will grow according to it's environment. It is drought tolerant and when it has not received moisture for a time it will shed it's leaves to conserve moisture. When the rains come, it will leaf out again and begin blooming and growing. Once in bloom the activity starts, no pollinator can resist the enticing little white blooms. I always have to stop and smell the sweet flowers myself, close my eyes, take a long smell and relax. My version of stopping to smell the roses. Oh yes...If you want to shape it you can trim it several ways. You can train it into a small tree or keep trimming it to keep it shrubby and is usually any where from 6-12' tall. I kind of like the odd natural ways it can grow. When these beauties are flowering several of the different Blues, or as I call them mini Blues will lay their eggs on them, usually laying their tiny little eggs on the flower buds. Kidneywood is a legume so several Blues can lay on them including the Reakirt's, Marine, and Ceraunus Blue. The Southern Dogface butterfly will also lay her eggs on this interesting plant. Well, I think I have talked myself into planting more of them, I hope you will try it too! The first pic is the Southern dogface. The 2nd picture is a Reakirt's Blue, she laid eggs all over the blooms of this little Kidneywood. The 4th pic is the Tarantula hawk or wasp enjoying the nectar. Save The Pollinators Save The World🦋🐝🦇
