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Lotus corniculatus L.

Bird’s foot trefoil

Bird’s foot trefoil is native to the temperate grassland regions of North Africa and Eurasia. They are naturalized in North America, now widespread, and invasive in some areas. The name stems from the fruits, which resemble a bird’s foot.

Plants: 6–24″ (15–60 cm) tall. Like other members of the pea family, these plants trap atmospheric nitrogen, making their own fertilizer, allowing them to colonize soils that other plants cannot.

Leaves: Pointed ovals in shape, leaves occur in groups of five per petiole. A group of three at the end emerge from the same point, and are ½ ⨉ ⅛″ (1.3 cm ⨉ 3.2 mm). The remaining two are lower, smaller, and opposite to each other.

Flowers: Attractive, bright yellow flowers appear in clusters of two to eight. Flowers become more orange in color over time. Each flower is bilaterally symmetrical, composed of 3 upper and 2 lower lobes, about ½″ (1.3 cm) around. Thin red lines are visible on the upper lobe at close quarters.

Fruits: Shaped like beans, about 1 ⨉ ⅛″ (2.5 cm ⨉ 3.2 mm), in small groups. The fruits’ long straight shape and emergence from a central point resemble a bird’s foot. Fruits are green, maturing to dark red.

Habitats: Old fields, grassy places, and roadsides.

In ultraviolet light, bird’s foot trefoil beckons bees (who, unlike us, can see ultraviolet) very differently—bright red, with blue edges! The photo is by Bjørn Rørslett, who has photographed many flowers in UV light.

Online References:

Invasive.org, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health

Plants for a Future

CalPhotos at the University of California, Berkeley

Wikimedia Commons

Flora of North America

 

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 2½ × 2″ (6.1 × 5.3 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/7/2013 · Amos Kendall Conservation Land, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/26/2007 · Ore­gon ID is uncertain

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

9/3/2020 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.5 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 3½″ (11 × 9.2 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 1 × ⅞″ (2.7 × 2.5 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/22/2023 · Florida Lake Park, Freeport, Maine

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/27/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Na, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/27/2016 · Williams Barn and Sørhaug Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

9/3/2020 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 3″ (9.9 × 7.9 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/4/2006 · Mt. Mansfield, Stowe, Ver­mont ID is uncertain

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/25/2007 · Oswald West State Park, Ore­gon ID is uncertain

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/27/2016 · Williams Barn and Sørhaug Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

Flowers redden as they age. · 6/27/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Na, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

9/3/2020 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

The closed buds are red. · 6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.6 × 13 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 4″ (13 × 10 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 4½″ (13 × 11 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

8/27/2016 · Williams Barn and Sørhaug Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

5/30/2015 · Townsend Wildlife Area · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)

Lotus corniculatus (bird’s foot trefoil, bird’s-foot trefoil)

6/27/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Na, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassRosidaeRoses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
OrderFabalesLegumes (pea and bean families)
FamilyFabaceaeLegume family (peas and beans)
GenusLotusIncludes trefoils and deervetches, but not (ironically) lotus flowers (Lotus, from Greek, meant a fruit that made people forget their homes)
SpeciescorniculatusMeans “horned”

About plant names...

Range:

About this map...

Lotus corniculatus description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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