Desmodium tweedyi
Tweedy's ticktrefoil
Description
Source: leafsnapDesmodium tweedyi is an herbaceous flowering plant in the pea family native to northern Texas and southern Oklahoma popularly known as "Tweedy's ticktrefoil" or "tick-clover." The legume or seed pod it produces has given the species its common names from its ability to cling to clothing. Along with other species in the Desmodium genus, D. tweedyi has become a candidate for soil enrichment, suppression of insect pests, mulch and green manure production, and making "good fodder for animals including bobwhite, turkey, grouse, deer, cattle and goats."
Care Guide
💧 Water
☀️ Light Full sun
Tweedy's ticktrefoil is a sun-loving, herbaceous perennial that comes from open habitats and commonly grows in meadows and grasslands. It prefers full sun but can also tolerate partial sun.
🌡️ Temperature 15–37.8°C
Tweedy's ticktrefoil can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, but its distribution may still be restricted by different combinations of moisture and heat. It does best in warm summer climates with sufficient rainfall or irrigation. Extended periods of cloudy, rainy weather or prolonged high temperatures both raise the chance that Tweedy's ticktrefoil will die. In winter, protecting the plant from harsh cold can increase its survival rate.
💨 Humidity
🪴 Soil 6-8
🌱 Fertilizer
Usually a single fertilizer application in spring is enough for Tweedy's ticktrefoil, though multiple feedings can maximize growth. Apply every month to six weeks. Fertilizing improves leaf appearance and function, helping them retain even color and a healthy texture. It also encourages root development and enhances nutrient uptake for long-term plant health.
🪴 Pot & Repot
✂️ Pruning
🌿 Propagating
🐛 Diseases & pets
☠️ Toxicity
Characteristics
- Plant Type
- Herb
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Desmodium
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 8-11
- Mature Height
- 30 cm to 61 cm
- Mature Spread
- 30 cm to 49 cm
- Leaf Color
- Green, Dark Green
- Leaf Type
- Deciduous
- Flower Size
- 0.76 cm to 1.27 cm
- Bloom Time
- Early summer, Mid summer
- Planting Time
- Spring, Summer
- Harvest Time
- Late summer, Early fall