Skip to main content

Trailing Fuzzybean

Strophostyles helvola

Last reviewed: August 2026

Trailing Fuzzybean (Strophostyles helvola)
Photo: Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA SCS. 1991. Southern wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. South National Technical Center, Fort Worth. Courtesy of USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute. / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Toxicity unknown

Trailing Fuzzybean (Strophostyles helvola) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

12"–72" H × 12"–72" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AL, AR, FL, GA and 22 more states

Pollinators

bees, butterflies

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 445 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central Great PlainsCross TimbersEdwards PlateauTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsWestern Gulf Coastal PlainSouth Central PlainsEastern Temperate ForestsOzark HighlandsCentral Irregular PlainsPiedmontWestern Corn Belt PlainsNorth Central Hardwood ForestsDriftless AreaCentral Corn Belt PlainsEastern Corn Belt PlainsSouthern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift PlainsHuron/Erie Lake PlainsNortheastern HighlandsNortheastern Coastal ZoneMiddle Atlantic Coastal PlainNorthern PiedmontSoutheastern PlainsRidge and ValleyWestern Allegheny PlateauInterior PlateauInterior River Valleys and HillsMississippi Alluvial PlainMississippi Valley Loess PlainsSouthern Coastal PlainEastern Great Lakes LowlandsAtlantic Coastal Pine Barrens

Trailing fuzzybean is a native vine that produces small pink or purple flowers from summer through early fall. This annual legume spreads along the ground or climbs nearby plants, creating a naturalistic groundcover that dies back each winter and reseeds itself.

In an HOA neighborhood

Trailing Fuzzybean takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

  • Vine growth habit appears uncontrolled
  • Can look weedy or unkempt
  • May climb on structures or other plants

Wildlife value

Host plant for long-tailed skipper.

The flowers attract native bees and butterflies throughout the long blooming season. As a legume, it also fixes nitrogen in the soil and provides seeds for birds.

Common questions

How much sun does Trailing Fuzzybean need?
Trailing Fuzzybean grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Trailing Fuzzybean bloom?
Trailing Fuzzybean blooms in June, July, August, and September.
Where is Trailing Fuzzybean native?
Trailing Fuzzybean (Strophostyles helvola) is native to AL, AR, FL, GA and 22 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
What butterflies or moths does Trailing Fuzzybean host?
Trailing Fuzzybean is a larval host plant for long-tailed skipper.
Is Trailing Fuzzybean HOA-friendly?
Trailing Fuzzybean takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Ready to grow Trailing Fuzzybean? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden
iPhone appAndroid app

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz