Galactia volubilis
(Eastern Milkpea)
Common Name, Latin Name and Family
Its common name is eastern milkpea.
Its Latin name is Galactia volubilis.
It is in the Fabaceae, pea, family of plants.
Form
A delicate, native, perennial, herbaceous, vine that grows 4-8 feet in length.
It sends its tender branches up nearby vegetation if not given a climbing support. It is very light and will not cause any damage to a plant that it climbs on. It will also clamber laterally along nearby vegetation or grass.
Leaves
The leaves of the eastern milkpea are compound, alternate, with three leaflets that have entire margins. They appear on the branches on rather long stalks.
The leaflets are variable in shape depending upon their age and can be oblong, elliptic, or ovate. The leaflets are about an inch long at maturity.
The leaflets have a very tiny spine at the tip and is usually only seen with magnification.
The upper surface of the leaflets are smooth and the lower surface has fine hairs that are only seen under magnification.
Flowers
Eastern milkpea produces small lavender-rose colored flowers.
The blooms appear in the summer and fall.
The flowers are pea shaped with the upper petal being about 1/2 an inch long and fused together at the center giving the appearance of a single upper petal.
Each flower has four lower petals with the center two being longer than the outer two that tend to curve inwards.
Each flower has ten stamens with 9 of them fused together until they reach the end of the lower petal’s length and then are free for about a quarter of an inch.
As the pollinator lands on the flower and reaches into it for nectar, the pollen rubs off on its underside. The center of the upper petal has a beautiful marking to show the insect where to find the nectar.
Fruit
This native vine of the pea family develops little pea pods once the flowers get pollinated.
The seed pods are 3/16th of an inch wide by 2 – 2/14 inches in length.
At first they are bright green and flat but as the seeds inside mature the pod gets larger in diameter. When the seeds are fully ripe the pod turns brown.
The pods have sutures along the edges and once the seeds ripen the sutures separate and the seeds spring out. Sutures in botanical terms means a seam, or in this case a lateral seam, that runs along the length of the pod where it splits open to expose the ripe seeds.
The seeds are small, brown speckled, and pea shaped.
If you collect the seeds it is best to collect them just before they open, when they are brown, and store them in a container with a covering of cheese cloth or mesh. This prevents the seeds from bursting out and becoming lost in the carpet or behind furniture.
Habitat
Eastern milkpea (Galactia volubilis) grows in sandhills, open hammocks and dry pinelands.
Native Range
In Florida it is found occurring naturally throughout most of the state.
It grows in zones 7 to 11.
It is native to the following states: AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, AND WV.
Landscape Use
In the home landscape it grows in part-shade with average moisture and once established needs zero maintenance.
It can be planted at the base of a shrub and allowed to climb into it. It is a delicate vine and will not harm the supporting plant.
However, it reseeds readily so it would not be desirable in a formal garden bed.
I like to use it the way I use scarlet morning glory, by planting it at the base of trees and shrubs and let it climb up and through them. Its delicate stems will cause no harm to surrounding foliage.
Wildlife Use
Small butterflies and bees use the flowers as a nectar source.
Songbirds and small mammals eat the flowers, beans, and dried seeds.
Galactia species are larval host plants for the Ceraunus blue butterfly.
Propagation
Eastern milkpea is propagated by seeds and transplants.
The roots look like tiny sweet potatoes and are easily transplanted, however any flowers or seed pods need to be removed so the plant can focus on recovering from the shock and put its energies into its roots.
I have seeds for sale at my Ebay Store here – Eastern Milkpea Seeds (Galactia volubilis) ✤ 20 Seeds
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