Photo: NoodleToo at English WikipediaCC BY-SA 3.0via Wikimedia Commonsresized / cropped
Scruffy Indian-bread Plant Care
Pediomelum hypogaeum (Nutt.) Rydb.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Pediomelum hypogaeum (also known as Psoralea hypogaea) is a perennial herb also known as the little Indian breadroot or subterranean Indian breadroot. It is found on the black soil prairies in Texas.
Full sun to partial shade
At a glance
How do you care for Scruffy Indian-bread?
Plant Scruffy Indian-bread in full sun to partial shade.
What Is the Scruffy Indian-bread?
Scruffy Indian-bread (Pediomelum hypogaeum) belongs to the Fabaceae family within the Pediomelum genus. Scruffy Indian-bread is also known as Ground Indian Bread, Little Indian Breadroot, Psoralea hypogaea.
Scruffy Indian-bread displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Scruffy Indian-bread produces small clustered flowers in shades of purple, pink, or white.
What Light Does the Scruffy Indian-bread Need?
Scruffy Indian-bread thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Scruffy Indian-bread?
Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Scruffy Indian-bread to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
Where Should You Plant a Scruffy Indian-bread?
Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.
Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.
How Do You Prune a Scruffy Indian-bread?
Prune Scruffy Indian-bread while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.
If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.
How Do You Care for a Scruffy Indian-bread in Winter?
Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.
Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.
How Do You Propagate a Scruffy Indian-bread?
Scruffy Indian-bread can be propagated through seeds, division of offsets. Similar propagation techniques also apply to prairie turnip plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Scruffy Indian-bread Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Scruffy Indian-bread, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Scruffy Indian-bread?
Scruffy Indian-bread is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Scruffy Indian-bread is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Pediomelum genus — compare its care with other Pediomelum species on PlantoScan.
Pediomelum is part of the Fabaceae plant family — browse all Fabaceae genera and species.
Scruffy Indian-bread thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Pediomelum Species
Other Pediomelum species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Pediomelum hypogaeum (Nutt.) Rydb., family Fabaceae (first published in N. Amer. Fl. 24: 21 (1919)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Scruffy Indian-bread, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Photo: NoodleToo at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons — original.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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