Sophora davidii Seeds | David’s Sophora
LATIN NAME: Sophora davidii
COMMON NAME: David’s Sophora
Plant Profile
Sophora davidii, commonly known as David’s Sophora, is a deciduous shrub. It likes sun, and sharp-draining soil. Its flowers draw a steady traffic of bees and other beneficial insects. All of this makes David’s Sophora a satisfying plant to grow and to get to know.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Sophora davidii, a representative of the Sophora group with clear practical value. Foam of white bloom of the David’s sophora gives it a recognised place in research on dry-ground nitrogen-fixing shrubs of great sophora group, and davidii species appears in studies of stony-slope growth and legume value. Raising it from seed today is a matter of ordinary good practice rather than specialist skill.
Uses & Benefits
David’s Sophora works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. In dry, sunny garden, the David’s sophora foams summer border with white bloom. Flowers open for bees through summer, roots hold loose, stony ground, and shrub makes fine, neat feature of dry border. It grows well in sharp-draining, sunny ground. Once it has its roots down, it more or less looks after itself.
Sophora is a pharmacopoeia in itself: Sophora flavescens root, Ku Shen, is a major Chinese heat-clearing herb for skin and gut, its matrine alkaloids widely studied, while the pagoda tree’s flower buds, Huai Mi, supply rutin by the ton for vascular supplements.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of David’s Sophora under ordinary good conditions. Scatter the seed evenly over a loose seed compost, cover to no more than its own depth, and keep the pot moist and bright. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Given the right start, David’s Sophora is a long-term garden companion. Sun, free drainage and a patient first year are all it really requires.
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