Lotus uliginosus
| Lotus uliginosus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer Shelter | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Lotus uliginosus (common name: greater bird's foot trefoil)
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.
Cultivation: Succeeds in wet acid soils[1]. Dislikes shade[1]. Does well on poor soils[2].
Suitable for naturalistic and conservation plantings in situations that approximate to its natural habitat[1].
A good bee plant[3].
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[1].
Range: S.W. Europe - Portugal, Spain.
Habitat: Marshes, ditches, freshwater margins and wet grassland[4][1].
Usage: An insecticide is obtained from the plant[5]. 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[1].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: No reports of toxicity have been seen for this species but at least one member of the genus contains toxic cyanogenic glycosides[6][7].
Also Known As: L. pedunculatus. Cav.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Brooker, Stanley. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press, 1991.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.
- ↑ Cooper, Marion. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. The Stationery Office, 1984.