Showy Tick-trefoil

? Showy Tick Trefoil

Baashkaakodinbag
Desmodium canadense

Showy Tick Trefoil – The Prairie Soil Builder

Showy Tick Trefoil is a strong and resilient native perennial of prairies, savannas, and open meadows. This bushy member of the pea family grows upright with graceful stems and clusters of rose-purple pea-like flowers that bloom through mid-summer. After flowering, the plant produces distinctive jointed seed pods that break apart into small one-seeded segments which readily cling to fur and clothing, helping the plant spread naturally across the landscape.

This species is excellent for ecological restoration. It establishes quickly and acts as a living cover in difficult or disturbed soils. Like other members of the pea family, it forms relationships with soil bacteria that allow it to fix nitrogen, improving soil fertility and helping rebuild degraded ecosystems.

Ecologically Showy Tick Trefoil is a valuable plant for pollinators. Its nectar-rich blossoms attract native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects during the height of summer when many pollinators are active. The plant also contributes to habitat diversity in prairie and meadow systems.

For the Anishinaabe and other Indigenous peoples, species within the Desmodium group were recognized for their medicinal uses. Preparations from the plant were sometimes used in traditional remedies, reflecting the deep knowledge of prairie and woodland plants within Indigenous plant traditions.

Larval host for
• Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
• Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas)
• Hoary Edge Skipper (Achalarus lyciades)
• Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Planting to Protect
Restoring to Thrive ?
Origin Native Plants ?

3.5 inch Pots