Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Smell the soil for a sour or rotten odor.
- Check if the pot has drainage holes at the bottom.
- Gently lift the plant to see if the roots are firm and white or mushy and brown.
Likely causes
Poor Drainage
Most likelyHow to tell: The plant wilts even when the soil is wet, and the leaves turn dark brown or black. If you pull the plant out, the roots will look mushy and smell foul.
What to do: Repot the plant into fresh, well draining potting mix. Trim away any black or slimy roots with clean scissors before replanting.
Overwatering
PossibleHow to tell: The soil stays damp for more than 2 weeks, and the plant stops growing entirely. You might see mold growing on the surface of the soil.
What to do: Allow the soil to dry out significantly between waterings. Ensure the pot has holes at the bottom and never let it sit in a tray of water.
Find out what's wrong with your common bird's-foot trefoil
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
If the base of the stem is turning black or soft, the rot has likely spread too far to save the plant. Catching it early when the leaves just start to wilt is your best chance.
Stopping it coming back
Always check that the top inch of soil is dry before you add more water.
Keep your common bird's-foot trefoil healthy from here
Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked. Identification and a health check are free.
Questions people ask
- Can I just let it dry out to fix root rot?
- If the rot is advanced, drying it out will not stop the decay. You must remove the damaged roots and replace the soil to save the plant.
- Does this plant need a special soil mix?
- It prefers a well draining mix that does not hold too much water. Adding a bit of perlite to standard potting soil helps prevent rot.
More problems with Common bird's-foot trefoil
- Why is my common bird's foot trefoil not flowering?
- Why are there white spots on my bird's foot trefoil?
- Why is my common bird's foot trefoil looking so leggy?
- Why is my bird's-foot trefoil drooping?
- Why are my bird's-foot trefoil leaves turning yellow?
- Why do my bird's-foot trefoil leaves have brown tips?
- Why is my bird's foot trefoil dropping leaves?
- What are the bugs on my bird's foot trefoil?
Back to the Common bird's-foot trefoil guide
This article was generated with AI from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.