Showy tick-trefoil
Desmodium canadense

Family: Leguminosae

What it is like

Desmodium canadense is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 0.9

Where it is found

Moist to mesic black soil prairies, moist meadows along rivers, borders of lakes, thickets, limestone glades, and areas along railroads where prairie remnants occur.

Native to eastern North America.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

Nitrogen Fixer: A member of the Legume Family, it improves the soil by adding nitrogen. Dynamic Accumulator: Deep Taproot. Wildlife Food: The seeds are used by a variety of birds and other wildlife. Like many other members of the Bean family, this plant is highly edible to various mammalian herbivores, including deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and livestock. Some upland gamebirds and small rodents eat the seeds, including the Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, and White-Footed Mouse. Insectory. Cut flowers.

Dynamic accumulator: Plants that gather minerals or nutrients from the soil and store them in a more bioavailable form and in high concentration in their tissues. Used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

An erect herbaceous perennial forb. Sun: Full Sun, Partial Shade. Soil Type: Loamy, Silty. Soil Moisture: Moderate, Dry. Soil pH: 5.0 - 8.0. Indifferent to soil acidity. Growth Rate: Moderate. Life Span: Long-Lived Perennial. Stand Persistence: Long. Form: Upright. Texture: Medium. Minimum Root Depth: 0.2m or 8 inches. Root Type: Rhizome. Seasonal Interest: Summer. Fruit Type: Pod. Flower Color: Pink. USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 - 8. Drought: Tolerant. Flood: Moderate. Salt: Moderate. Soil Compaction: Moderate. Mowing: Tolerant. Fire Damage: Tolerant. Cold Injury: Infrequent. Disease Issues: Minor. Insect/Pest Damage: Minor. Growing Season: Warm. Bloom Time: Summer - Late Summer. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down.

Propagating it: Seed. Stratify seed at 33-38 deg. F for 10 days, need scarification.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 3-6

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Highly adaptable, this plant can take over a small garden.

Its other names

Local names

Showy Tick Trefoil, Canadian tick-trefoil, Canada tickclover.

Synonyms

Hedysarum canadense L. [Spelling variant]. Hedysarum canadensis L. Meibomia canadensis (L.) Kuntze.