Trifolium ornithopodioides
| Trifolium ornithopodioides | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Trifolium ornithopodioides (common name: birdsfoot fenugreek)
Propagation: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ.
If the seed is in short supply it might be better to sow it 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.
Division in spring.
Cultivation: Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun[1]. In the wild plants are found in open habitats that are moist or wet in winter[2]. Plants are also likely to be resistant to maritime exposure. Succeeds in poor soils.
It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better[3]. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias[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]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[3].
Range: Southern and western Europe, including Britain, from Denmark south to N. Africa.
Habitat: Dry sandy places in southern England, mainly near the coast[4][5].
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked[4]. The dried leaves are coumarin-scented and have been suggested as a substitute for fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)[6].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Falcata falsotrifolium. F. ornithopodioides. Trigonella ornithopodioides. Trigonella purpurascens.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.