Kummerowia stipulacea

Cultivation Details

Kummerowia stipulacea is a plant of the temperate and subtropical zones, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It generally does not thrive in tropical climates. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 14 - 24°c, but can tolerate 6 - 30°c^[1]. The plant is frost-tender^[2]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,300mm, but tolerates 500 - 1,700mm^[1]. Grows best in a sunny position, tolerating light shade^[1]. Succeeds in a wide range of well-drained soils, from sandy to clayey, growing best in moderately fertile conditions but also where the fertility is low^[1]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 8^[1]. Plants are moderately drought-tolerant^[1]. A short-day, warm-season plant, it does not commence flowering until late summer when daylight length is less than 13 - 14 hours^{[2, 1]}. Plants produce both perfect flowers with petals and cleistogamous flowers that have no petals, do not open, but develop fertile seed without pollination^{[3, 1]}. Cultivated as a green manure and soil improvement crop, there are some named varieties^[4]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby^[5]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.