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.

Plant guide

Common bird's-foot trefoil.

Lotus corniculatus

Pronounced LOH-tus kor-nik-yoo-LAY-tus

Also known as Bird's-foot Trefoil, Birdfoot Deervetch, Birdsfoot, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bloomfell, Cat's Clover, Common Bird's-Foot-Trefoil, Common Bird's-foot Trefoil

bird's-foot trefoil — Photo by Andreas Rockstein (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist

This hardy perennial is a cheerful addition to meadows and gardens with its bright yellow flowers. It is a member of the pea family and is well known for its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. You will often see it sprawling along roadsides or in sunny fields.

Another photo of Common bird's-foot trefoil — Photo by Sergio Garrido Villa (CC0) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Perennial herb
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 15 to 30 centimeters
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

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.

Watering: Water deeply only when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: This plant rarely needs fertilizer as it fixes its own nitrogen.
Pruning: Trim back after flowering to encourage a tidy shape and potential second bloom.
Repotting: Repot only if the plant becomes root bound in its container.
Soil: Well-draining, sandy or loamy soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -25 to 35°C
Humidity: 30 to 70%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 3 to 5 years.
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water sitting on the surface for too long.

Safety

People: The plant is considered mildly toxic if ingested due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides.
Children: Keep children away from the plant as the foliage and seeds are not intended for consumption.
Contact allergens: Handling the foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: The pollen can cause mild allergic reactions in some people during the peak flowering season.
Edibility: While not highly toxic, it contains cyanogenic glycosides and should not be consumed by humans.

How to identify it

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

Height: 0.05 to 0.4m
Spread: 0.3 to 0.6m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: yellow, orange, 1 to 2cm
Fruit: brown, Late summer

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
RustCommon
Leaf SpotUncommon
Root RotUncommon
Slugs and SnailsUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, division
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: Cut back dead foliage in late autumn to tidy the plant. It is fully hardy and requires no special protection during winter.
In containers: It grows well in containers, but ensure the pot has excellent drainage and is at least 20 centimeters deep.

Seed

1. Scarify the seeds lightly with sandpaper.
2. Soak seeds in water for 24 hours.
3. Sow in well-draining soil in spring.

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

Grows well with

Common Yarrow · They share similar soil and light requirements.
Oxeye Daisy · They create a classic meadow aesthetic together.

Similar species

Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil · It is a larger relative that prefers wetter soil conditions.

Science

Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Lotus
Order: Fabales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Conservation: 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.

Value to wildlife: larval host plant, nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, moths
Uses: ground cover, meadow planting, soil improvement, pollinator garden

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 3/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 2/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

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.

Where the name comes from

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.

Good to know

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.

Also in

Drought-tolerant plants

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.