Centrosema virginianum is virtually unknown in gardens despite being native from Illinois south to Florida and west to Texas. Our offering, Centrosema ‘Pea Brain’, is a NC seed strain. The deciduous pea relative is a 6′ tall, twining vine clothed with dark green trifoliate leaves and adorned all summer long with an endless array of clitoria-like lavender-blue flowers. We grow centrosema on a deer fence where it thrives in full sun, masking the fence throughout the growing season. In the wild, centrosema is often found on well-drained sandy soils, but the addition of compost really makes it explode. Centrosema is late to break dormancy, not sprouting before mid-May in NC. Butterflies love centrosema, including long-tailed skippers and northern cloudywings. Centrosema is endangered in New Jersey, but so are many people who reside there.
