Fernald's Milk Vetch

Woolly Pod Milkvetch requires an average amount of water when starting out. During the growing season, this plant should be watered once a week for about 10 minutes. It needs approximately 1 inch of water during that time. During the winter it should be watered about every other week with the same amount of water listed for the growing season. It is important to only water this plant when the top inch or 2 of soil is dry. This will help to prevent overwatering.

Woollypod milkvetch is a hardy perennial native to North America. It is adapted to thrive in dry and windy environments and does best in full sun exposures of at least 6 hours per day. Woollypod milkvetch benefits from full sun exposure in the early morning hours, when the hottest temperatures of the day may have yet to arrive. During the hottest period of the day, midday from 11am-3pm, it may be beneficial to place Woollypod milkvetch in a location that receives more filtered sunlight.

Woolly Milkvetch can be pruned to control its growth and shape. Pruning can be done in early spring, late spring, summer, fall, and early winter. In early spring, prune off dead branches and flowers to shape the plant. Late spring is the ideal time for thinning out dense growth as well as removing any dead or damaged branches. Summer pruning includes light shaping of the canopy and removal of any dead or broken branches. In fall prune off the dead seed pods and remove any weakened branches to make way for new growth. Lastly, early winter is the best time for hard pruning to shape the plant and can include the removal of up to half of the plant’s existing foliage.