Lotus uliginosus - Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil

Family:	Leguminosae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.35
Synonyms:	L. pedunculatus. Cav.
Range:	S.W. Europe - Portugal, Spain.

Lotus uliginosus (Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.35m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil will flower in December to March. the seeds ripen from February to April
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees

Soil Information

Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil should not be planted in shady areas.

Marshes, ditches, freshwater margins and wet grassland[50, 200].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Suits a meadow
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in wet acid soils[200]. Dislikes shade[200]. Does well on poor soils[61]. Suitable for naturalistic and conservation plantings in situations that approximate to its natural habitat[200]. A good bee plant[74]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in situ in the spring or autumn. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 15°c. If seed is in short supply, it can be sown in pots in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring or early summer.

Known Hazards

No reports of toxicity have been seen for this species but at least one member of the genus contains toxic cyanogenic glycosides[65, 76].

Other Uses

An insecticide is obtained from the plant[153]. No more details are given. This species is used as a pioneer plant in the reclamation of peat and pumice soils and on other wet acid soils that are unsuitable for the more commonly used Trifolium spp[200].

• Insecticide - Kills insects.
• Soil reclamation - Plants that can be grown in such circumstances an the spoil tips of mines in order to restore fertility.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora Europaea
?
Author: ?
Rating:
Publisher : An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1964

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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