Birdsfoot treefoil
Lotus corniculatus
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A herb which keeps growing from year to year. The stems are trailing or curve upwards. The stems are solid. The leaves have 5 entire blunt leaflets. The flowers heads can have 8 flowers. The flowers are pea-like with yellow petals and a reddish standard. The pods are cylinder shaped and become dark on maturity. They are 15-30 mm long.
There are about 100 Lotus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in grassy locations. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 5-8. Tasmania Herbarium.
Countries/locations it is found in
Afghanistan, Africa, Arabia, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belarus, Bhutan, Brazil, Britain, Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Estonia, Europe, Falklands, France, Georgia, Greece, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Norway, Palestine, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Slovenia, South America, Spain, St Helena, Syria, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, USA
How it is used for food
Young pods are occasionally nibbled. The flowers yield a light honey. The young shoots are eaten in salads. The leaves are used for tea drinks.
The flower nectar is sucked by children.
Edible parts
Seeds pod, shoots, nectar
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Miandunka, Mogyoro, Navadna nokota, Ospi, Tiriltunge, Virapool, Zvjezdan