Desmodium tweedyi
🍃leaf (4)

Desmodium tweedyi

Tweedy's ticktrefoil

Tier 2 Difficulty: medium Water: low Light: full_sun
Temperature
15–37 °C
Soil pH
6–8
Hardiness
Zone 8–11
Click count
165
Observations
5

Description

Source: leafsnap

Desmodium 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.

Ideal: Full 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.

Ideal temperature: 15–37.8°C
💨 Humidity
Humidity:
🪴 Soil 6-8
Soil pH: 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

Tags (5)

Common Names (1)

en Tweedy's ticktrefoil