Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense)

Common Names : Canada Tick Trefoil

Status – Native throughout North America. Listed as Common

Sun – Full sun to partial sun

Soil/Habitat – Habitat include tall grass prairies, dry roadsides to moist banks of rivers and lakes. Highly adaptable to most soils.

Water – dry to wet. Well drained.

Dimensions – Height – 3 – 6 feet Width – 3 feet

Flowers – June to September. Dense spikes of pink, purple

Notes – Attract butterflies and hummingbirds for nectar. Is a larval host to silver spotted skipper, eastern tailed blue, and hoary edge. Rated as ‘a special value to bumble bees’ by pollination experts. Highly attractive to miner bees, leaf-cutting bees, and some short-tongued bees. Is a nitrogen fixer and helps improve the soil.