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Desmodium canadense

showy tick-trefoil

Fabaceae Eastern and central North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Desmodium canadense, showy tick-trefoil, is an upright herbaceous perennial legume reaching 3-6 feet (90-180 cm) tall and 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) wide. Stems are hairy and often branched near the top, carrying compound leaves divided into three oblong leaflets 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) long. From midsummer it bears elongated clusters of pink to rose-purple pea-like flowers about 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) across, opening over several weeks. The flowers give way to flattened, jointed seed pods covered in tiny hooked hairs that cling to fur and clothing, scattering the seed. As a legume it fixes nitrogen through root-borne bacteria, letting it grow on lean soils. It is native to moist prairies, open woods, streambanks, and meadows across much of eastern and central North America. The plant spreads slowly from a woody crown and self-sows where pods find bare ground. D. canadense tolerates a range of soils and some drought once established, but the clinging pods can become a nuisance near paths and pets. It is grown in pollinator plantings, meadow gardens, and prairie restorations.

Native Range

Desmodium canadense is native to eastern and central North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to the Carolinas and west to the Great Plains. It grows in moist prairies, meadows, open woodlands, and along streams and railroads. It is widespread through the Midwest and Northeast.

Suggested Uses

Showy tick-trefoil is planted in pollinator gardens, native meadows, and prairie restorations. Its flowers draw native bees and butterflies, and it serves as a larval host for several skipper and sulphur butterflies. The seeds are eaten by gamebirds and small mammals.

How to Identify

Recognize showy tick-trefoil by its tall, hairy stems and three-part leaves with oblong leaflets. In summer it carries dense, branched clusters of pink to rose-purple pea flowers at the stem tips. The flat seed pods break into segments shaped like rounded triangles, each covered in hooked hairs that stick to fur and fabric. The clinging, jointed pods separate it from clovers and other legumes.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 6'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Summer Fall

Bloom runs from midsummer into early fall, roughly July through September. Flower clusters open from the base upward over three to four weeks. As flowering ends, the hooked seed pods form and persist into autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Pink to rose-purple

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow showy tick-trefoil in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil, though it adapts to clay, loam, and sandy ground. As a nitrogen-fixing legume it grows on low-fertility soils and needs no added fertilizer. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but flower most freely with steady summer moisture. It is hardy in USDA zones 3-8 and dies back to the crown each winter, returning in spring. Staking or planting among grasses helps support the tall, somewhat floppy stems. It has few serious pests, though Japanese beetles and leaf-feeding insects may chew the foliage.

Pruning

Cut the dead stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. Cutting plants back by one-third in early summer reduces height and flopping but delays bloom. Remove seed pods before they ripen to limit self-sowing.

Pruning Schedule

early springfall