Common bird's-foot trefoil.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien

Facile

Type de plante

Perennial herb

Lumière

Full sun

Lumière en intérieur

Soleil direct

Arrosage

Tous les 7 à 14 jours

Taille adulte

15 to 30 centimeters

Croissance

Moyenne

Rusticité

USDA 4 à 9

Floraison

Late spring to early autumn

Entretien

Plant this in a spot that gets plenty of sun and has well-draining soil. Keep an eye out for aphids during the warmer months. It is quite drought tolerant once established, so you do not need to fuss over it too much.

Arrosage

Water deeply only when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Engrais

This plant rarely needs fertilizer as it fixes its own nitrogen.

Taille

Trim back after flowering to encourage a tidy shape and potential second bloom.

Rempotage

Repot only if the plant becomes root bound in its container.

Sol

Well-draining, sandy or loamy soil

pH du sol

6.0 to 7.5

Température

-25 à 35°C

Humidité

30 à 70%

Résistance à la sécheresse

Élevée

Durée de vie

Perennial, typically 3 to 5 years.

Parfum

Léger

Résistance aux chevreuils et lapins

Moyenne

Sécurité

Humains

The plant is considered mildly toxic if ingested due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides.

Enfants

Keep children away from the plant as the foliage and seeds are not intended for consumption.

Allergènes de contact

Handling the foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Allergènes aéroportés

The pollen can cause mild allergic reactions in some people during the peak flowering season.

Comestibilité

While not highly toxic, it contains cyanogenic glycosides and should not be consumed by humans.

Comment l'identifier

• Bright yellow pea-like flowers
• Five leaflets per leaf
• Spreading low growth habit
• Seed pods resemble bird feet

Hauteur

0,05 à 0,4m

Envergure

0,3 à 0,6m

Feuilles

green, deciduous

Fleurs

yellow, orange, 1 à 2cm

Fruits

brown, Late summer

Problèmes courants

• Powdery mildew — A fungal infection that appears as white dusty patches on the leaves.

La cultiver

Multiplication

seed, division

Quand planter

spring, autumn

Hivernage

Cut back dead foliage in late autumn to tidy the plant. It is fully hardy and requires no special protection during winter.

En pot

It grows well in containers, but ensure the pot has excellent drainage and is at least 20 centimeters deep.

Plant this as a living mulch around larger perennials to suppress weeds and boost nitrogen levels.

Bonnes associations

• Achillée millefeuille — They share similar soil and light requirements.
• Ox-eye Daisy — They create a classic meadow aesthetic together.

Espèces similaires

• Lotus pedunculatus — It is a larger relative that prefers wetter soil conditions.

Science

Famille

Fabaceae

Genre

Lotus

Ordre

Fabales

Classe

Magnoliopsida

Région d'origine

Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

Préservation

It is a common and widespread species not currently of conservation concern.

It survives in the wild by forming symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in its root nodules.

Intérêt pour la faune

larval host plant, nectar source

Pollinisateurs

abeilles, papillons, papillons de nuit

Utilisations

ground cover, meadow planting, soil improvement, pollinator garden

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

Is this plant invasive?

It can be aggressive in some regions, so check your local regulations before planting.

Does it need fertilizer?

No, it fixes its own nitrogen and prefers lean soil.

D'où vient le nom

The genus name Lotus comes from the Greek word for a type of clover, while corniculatus refers to the horn-like shape of the seed pods.

Bon à savoir

• It is commonly known as bird's foot trefoil because the seed pods resemble a bird's foot.
• The flowers often turn orange as they age.
• It is a hardy plant that thrives in poor, rocky soils.

Aussi dans

• Plantes résistantes à la sécheresse