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Soybean

Glycine max

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in abundantly cultivated as a crop, rarely persisting as a waif. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
1–2 feet
Spread
9 inches–2 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to average
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

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  • Gray Goldenrod
    Solidago nemoralis

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Dry to average. Flowers: Yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

    Different: flower color

  • Heartleaf Aster
    Symphyotrichum cordifolium

    Sun: Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Blue.

    Similar growth form, spread, evergreen or deciduous

  • Zigzag Goldenrod
    Solidago flexicaulis

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

    Different: flower color

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At a glance

Life cycle
Annual
Bloom
July to October
Fruiting season
Summer to fall

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 9 Arkansas counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

46CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Glycine

  • Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
  • Allagrapha aereaUnspotted Looper Moth
  • Allotria elonymphaFalse Underwing
  • Anagrapha falciferaCelery Looper Moth
  • Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Anticarsia gemmatalisVelvetbean Caterpillar Moth
  • Caenurgina erechteaClover Looper Moth, Common Grass Moth, Forage Looper
  • Cecropterus bathyllusSouthern Cloudywing
  • Chloridea subflexaSubflexus Straw, Groundcherry Sun Moth
Show all 46
  • Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
  • Colias eurythemeOrange Sulphur, Alfalfa Butterfly
  • Ctenoplusia oxygrammaSharp-Stigma Looper Moth
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Epargyreus clarusSilver-Spotted Skipper
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Euptoieta claudiaVariegated Fritillary, (?)Gulf Fritillary
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma bipunctalisSouthern Beet Webworm, Two-Spotted Herpetogramma
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
  • Phoebis sennaeCloudless Sulphur
  • Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
  • Pyrisitia lisaLittle Yellow, Little Sulphur, Lisa Yellow
  • Rachiplusia ouGray Looper
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera albulaWhite-Spotted Armyworm, Gray-Streaked Armyworm
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera latifasciaOrange-Striped Armyworm, Velvet Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
  • Synchlora frondariaSouthern Emerald
  • Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
  • Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
  • Urbanus proteusLong-Tailed Skipper, Bean Leaf Roller
  • Utetheisa ornatrixOrnate Moth, Pink Underwing, Rattlebox Moth, Bella Moth
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Zerene cesoniaSouthern Dogface
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
6BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Glycine

  • Aix sponsaWood Duck
  • Anser caerulescensSnow Goose
  • Branta canadensisCanada Goose
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Phasianus colchicusRing-necked Pheasant
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Fabaceae
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Purple
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single crown
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Soy Bean; Soya Bean; Soyabean

Conservation status

Arkansas rankSNA
Global rankGNR
AR statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources