Sericea Lespedeza

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J. T.

J. T.

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I've always been interested in Sericea Lespedeza but I understand the seedlings are weak and it takes time to get established. However, here in my part of Alabama, the coal industry uses it heavily on reclaimed strip mines and it grows like crazy forever with no further fertilizing. I have a hillside that is not as productive as I'd like. It hasn't had cows on it for a few years due to poor fencing in that area. However the fence will be rebuilt by the end of summer and I thought about planting sericea next year on this hill. Right now, it's covered in fescue (not a thick stand) broomesedge, and hardwood seedlings that have to be bushhogged every summer. What needs to be done to establish sericea in this area? The soil is poor, acidic, and steep. Sounds perfect for sericea to me. Any suggestions? Thanks.
J. T.
 
J. T. said:
I've always been interested in Sericea Lespedeza but I understand the seedlings are weak and it takes time to get established. However, here in my part of Alabama, the coal industry uses it heavily on reclaimed strip mines and it grows like crazy forever with no further fertilizing. I have a hillside that is not as productive as I'd like. It hasn't had cows on it for a few years due to poor fencing in that area. However the fence will be rebuilt by the end of summer and I thought about planting sericea next year on this hill. Right now, it's covered in fescue (not a thick stand) broomesedge, and hardwood seedlings that have to be bushhogged every summer. What needs to be done to establish sericea in this area? The soil is poor, acidic, and steep. Sounds perfect for sericea to me. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Don't Do it!!! Sericea has a tannin that cattle will not like and they will not eat the stuff after it becomes a little mature and the stems become very hard. I AM thinking about planting an an improved Legend Lesp., it is an annual, but growth and grazing is supposed to be good. Odd - but my Katahdin sheep think the leaves of this Serecia is candy - so if you have that weed- look for some sheep rather than cows - but fencing and predator control becomes your new problem.
sericea has been used by the coal industry for years because it grows in places like you mentioned - but our job is to grow a forage that cows will eat and grow on - not just plant a weed the will refuse to eat.
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Dont do it is right on for advice about sericea. Cattle get nothing from it, it has seeds that were thought to be good for quail but they found they have a coating that quail cant digest, so quail eat them and starve in cold weather. It spreads and crowds out everything else. It wont do anything good for you or your cattle.
 
One more note on Sericea, if you were to use it for hay, and it's not cut at the precise time, you might as well burn it. Cattle will eat it only if they have nothing else. I'd explore alternative forages for the area.
 
from what I've read it's become a problem in Kansas


the state uses hairy vetch in MO and some think it will become a problem here

I've cut vetch in OK but you have to catch before it seeds or the cows won't eat it, maybe to bitter?
 
serecia is a bad weed here & hard to kill. it spreads itself & is a noxious weed, but a hunter was given some seed a couple of years ago by the extension office- go figure
 
I know about the the tannin. Auburn University released a variety years ago called AU Lotan that had a greatly reduced amount of tannin. Reports were, that cows readily ate it. Also, being a legume, wouldn't it improve the N content on that poor soil on the hill? And if I remember right, it is supposed to be around 16-17% protein if grazed young. I was just wondering about the establishment of sericea. I've heard it is hard to establish if it has a lot of other competition. That's my main concern. However, it would dilute the effects in this ol' KY 31 Tall Fescue that I've got acres and acres of.
J. T.
 
Kudzu makes good grazing, but I'd never plant it. The story goes that back in the 30's a farmer planted it on his back forty and it beat him to the house! :D Incidentally, the blossoms make a great tasting jelly BTW Bama, where in NW Alabama are you, if you don't mind my asking? I'm in Walker County. That's why I know about the Sericea on the reclaimed strip mine land.
J. T.
 
I'm north of you in Lawrence county. The kudzu taking over is what I was referring to. Someone planted it to control erosion and now its everwhere. I don't really like kudzu jelly. I'm more of a pear or blackberry perserves guy myself. A bunch of years ago we put in some Sericea and it spread like crazy. I still have some of it pop up from time to time. BTW 2,4,-d will do a number on it.
 
Hey Bama,
Lawrence county is a beautiful place.. Blackberry and pear preserves are good, but you left out muscadine jelly! OK, I guess I'm off topic now. Nice having a "neighbor" on board!
J. T.
 
J. T.

I lived in Fayette Co for 50 years. Had a store in Sumiton also. You're probably from the northern part of the county. Know Bill Barnes?
 
Hey, I may have mis-quoted, I looked back over my records. The Sericea is sprayed with 2,4-d had a little roundup thrown in the mix. I'm not sure if 2,4,-d alone will get it. It will get vetch though.
 
Hey Macon,
Yeah, I know Bill and Pat. Taught their granddaughter, Nancy, in one of my Ag classes at Carbon Hill High School. Good folks.
Gonna be in Orange Beach tomorrow through the 25th. Hope the weather's fine down there!
 
DON'T DO IT. I have this miserable stuff. Cows will eat it up to six inches tall, after that forget it. It takes over everything and is all but impossible to get rid of. You might as well plant thistles.
 
I would not plant Sericea if I had a choice. But, having said that, if cut at an early stage, it has more digestible nutrients than alfalfa according to University of Tennessee studies. Horses and cattle both will eat every bit of it. The protein is in the 17% area, where as alfalfa is 18%. Just let it get too tall, and it as good as cutting cedar trees for hay. It does add nitrogen to the ground. It is considered a lespedeza. If you have it already, make good use of it by cutting it early. If I didn't have it, then I would find something else. Oh, another good thing to say about it is that it cures well and holds it's leaves easily. So....
 
Ranches around here are spending thousands trying to kill it.I've got some in my pastures, cows don't eat it, wish they would though, it's doing way better than the grass right now.
 

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