Lespedeza, << `lehs` puh DEE zuh, >> is the name of a group of herbs and shrublike plants that grow in Asia, Australia, and North America. Shrubby lespedezas are called bush clover. Lespedeza leaves have smooth edges and three leaflets. The small, pea-shaped flowers grow in clusters. The fruit is a short pod with one seed. Japanese lespedeza and Korean lespedeza have been grown chiefly in the southern United States as livestock feed and as a fertilizer.
