description Showy Tick Trefoil Overview
Showy tick trefoil, Desmodium canadense, is a perennial legume native to much of eastern and central North America. It produces upright stems, compound leaves with three leaflets, and dense clusters of pink to purple pea-shaped flowers during summer. Its jointed seedpods break into individual segments covered with hooked hairs, which attach to animal fur, feathers, and clothing and thereby carry the seeds away from the parent plant.
help Showy Tick Trefoil FAQ
What is the scientific name of showy tick trefoil?
Showy tick trefoil is Desmodium canadense, a perennial legume native to much of eastern and central North America. It is recognized by upright stems, three-part leaves, and clusters of pink to purple pea-shaped flowers.
When does showy tick trefoil bloom?
Showy tick trefoil generally flowers during summer. Its upright flower clusters make it conspicuous in prairies, meadows, woodland edges, and other sunny habitats.
Why is it called tick trefoil?
After flowering, the plant forms jointed seedpods that can cling to clothing or animal fur. This hitchhiking seed dispersal explains the word tick in the common name.
Is showy tick trefoil useful to pollinators?
Yes, its pea-shaped flowers can provide forage for bees and other flower-visiting insects. As a legume, it also belongs to a plant family known for relationships with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria.
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