
Thalkirchen, Germany, 05/2024(Backlit)
Lotus pedunculatus
Scientific Name
Lotus pedunculatus
FAMILY
Fabaceae
LIFESPAN
perennial
BLOSSOM SYMMETRY
radial
Common Name
Big trefoil
ORDER
Fabales
BLOSSOM COLOR
yellow
PHYLLOTAXIS
alternate
Lotus pedunculatus, commonly known as greater bird’s-foot trefoil, is a perennial wildflower native to Europe and parts of western Asia. It is distinguished by its bright yellow, pea-like flowers often marked with red, and by its soft, creeping stems that form loose mats in wet meadows and marshy ground. The name “bird’s-foot trefoil” refers to the shape of its seed pods, which resemble a bird’s claw. Unlike the more familiar dry-grassland trefoils, this species is adapted to waterlogged soils and has a strong association with damp, traditional hay meadows, where it was once valued for improving pasture quality.

