- Partial Shade to Full Sun (At Least 3 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 12 - 24 Inches
- Mature Spread 18 Inches
- Growing Zones 3 - 9
Goat’s Rue, Tephrosia virginiana, is a native wildflower that will add texture and color to your garden. As part of the legume family, Goat’s Rue has large, sweet-pea-looking flowers of cream, deep pink, and yellow that bloom from May to August. Goat’s Rue has a silvery or hairy appearance, feather-like pinnately compound leaves, and a mature size of 1-2 feet high and 1.5 feet wide. Pollinators love this perennial from zone 3 to 9. Goat’s Rue was originally fed to goats to increase their milk content until the plant’s toxic roots and other parts were used for insecticides and pesticides.
Goat’s Rue is a low-maintenance plant native to dry woodlands and sandy locations in the Eastern US and Canada. It is considered a subshrub or low bush with a mounding habit. Goat’s Rue is an excellent choice for borders, mass plantings, small groups, native gardens, or even rock gardens. It is deer resistant, drought resistant, disease resistant, and a pest deterrent.
Goat’s Rue Care
You can plant Goat’s Rue from spring to summer. Choose a location in part to full sun with well-draining soil. Goat’s Rue prefers more acidic soil since it is native to dry, open woods and sandy sites. Goat’s Rue has very low water and fertilizer needs and likes drier locations.
Goat’s Rue has a deep root system, which makes dividing or transplanting the plant difficult. The plant is best left where established. You can cut spent flower stems back to the ground in late winter or early spring. These plants are slower to mature and can take several seasons to bloom.
Goat’s Rue Spacing
Carefully choose the planting location for your Goat’s Rue since the plant will not enjoy being moved. For mass planting, space plants 2 ft apart. Goat’s Rue is in the family fabaceae or the pea family, which means it will fix nitrogen in your soil and benefit other plants.
Goat's Rue Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 - 9 |
Plant Type: Perennial |
Light Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun (At Least 3 Hours Of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 12 - 24 Inches |
Mature Spread: 18 Inches |
Spacing: 9 - 18 Inches |
Habit: Upright |
Flower Color(s): Pink, Yellow |
Flower Description: |
Bloom Period: Summer |
Foliage Type: Herbaceous, Variegated |
Foliage Color(s): Blue, Green |
Foliage Description: |
Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering, Summer Flowering |
Watering: Low |
Resists: Deer, Disease, Pests & Insects |
Tolerates: Drought |
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies |
Container Role: |
Uses: Borders |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flowers, Native to North America |
Brand: American Beauties Native Plants |
Common Name: Goat's Rue |
Other Name(s): Goat'S Rue |
Scientific Name: Tephrosia virginiana |
- SKU:
- 1231012899-pc
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
For more detailed information, please click here.
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Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations
Plant Shipping
Time of Order:
Summer Shipping
- If there is extreme heat we’ll delay shipping.
- We’ll have to review what areas the plants are traveling through along with your location
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an email with tracking information. Depending on the above criteria we’ll ship your plant(s) towards beginning of the following week from your order. We put together this helpful guide of what to do when you receive your plants in the mail.
It is important to know that all of our plants are clearly labeled for which growing zones the plant can survive in. The plants are thoroughly trialed and tested in every growing zone before we state the plant can grow in a zone. Again, our #1 priority is to ship the plants to you healthy and ready to thrive in your location. So we will do everything in our power to do so.