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Tick clover (Desmodium)
Also known as : Beggar lice, Tick-trefoils
The tick clover genus contains flowering herbs and shrubs. Many genus members release toxins into the soil and surrounding air, which repel moths and suppress unwanted weeds. Some species of tick clover are utilized as living mulch or green manure to enhance nitrogen in the soil 
Lifespan
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Key Facts About Tick clover
Feedback
Attributes of Tick clover
Flower Size
2.5 cm to 8 cm
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Scientific Classification of Tick clover
Distribution of Tick clover
Feedback
Distribution Map of Tick clover
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Tick clover
Feedback
The tick clover genus consists of perennial herbs and shrubs that require moderate maintenance and care. They need adequate exposure to sunlight, although they can tolerate partially shaded conditions. The plants prefer a well-draining soil, rich in organic matter, and need to be kept moist, but not soggy. A temperate climate is ideal. However, a frost-free environment is vital for their survival. Common challenges include pests such as aphids and spider mites and diseases like leaf spot. Different care considerations are required for changing seasons, such as reducing watering in winter and timely pruning in late winter or early spring.
How to Water Tick clover?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Tick clover?
How to Propagate Tick clover?
How to Plant Tick clover?
Exploring the Tick clover Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil (Desmodium paniculatum) is a perennial herb related to the pea plant. Panicledleaf ticktrefoil is native to North America and grows from Quebec to Florida. This species has minimal commercial use as forage for ruminants in pastures.
Zarzabacoa comun
Zarzabacoa comun originates from Central and South America but has spread widely in North America and Hawaii as an invasive weed after being introduced as a fodder crop. This plant is used to control the parasitic weed “striga” in dry East African farmlands. Its ability to grow on poor-quality soil makes it a good grazing legume in parts of the Amazon basin.
Showy Tick-Trefoil
Showy Tick-Trefoil (Desmodium canadense) lives up to the adjective modifying its common name when, in mid-summer, stunning fuchsia flowers make their appearance. It’s a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning that its roots are colonized by bacteria that extract nitrogen from the air, which the plant then uses, contributing nitrogen to the soil in the process.
Threeflower ticktrefoil
Threeflower ticktrefoil is a flowering perennial that forms mats along the ground. It has hairy stems and pink to purple flowers and is native to the southernmost United States and Hawaii.
Prostrate ticktrefoil
Prostrate ticktrefoil (Desmodium rotundifolium) is a plant species with an unclear native origin. Prostrate ticktrefoil is also called beggar lice and tick clover. There are dozens of species in the Desmodium genus and many of their taxonomic classifications have been contested by the scientific community.
Illinois tick trefoil
A member of the bean family, illinois tick trefoil (Desmodium illinoense) is recognizable by its series of white-purple flowers. Its fuzzy seed pods attach themselves to fur or clothing in order to span distance and germinate more widely. This plant prefers to grow in open, sunny spaces, such as the Great Plains of the United States.
Sinulate-leaf tickclover
Sinulate-leaf tickclover is a perennial herbaceous plant known for its clustered pink to purple flowers that form on elongated racemes. It typically thrives in sun-drenched fields, adapting well to a range of soils but favoring well-drained areas. This species boasts trifoliate leaves, with each leaflet being lance-shaped and bearing a distinctive v-shaped mark. Its capacity for rapid growth and spread is largely due to its robust root system and its ability to form symbiotic relationships with soil bacteria.
Salparni
Salparni (Desmodium gangeticum) is a widely spread tropical herb that you can find growing wild in tropical climates. The plant spreads by hairy seed pods that cling to passing animals and humans, and can also stick to people's skin and clothing. The plant is pollinated by insects such as bees, and cattle grazing also spreads its seeds.
All Species of Tick clover
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil (Desmodium paniculatum) is a perennial herb related to the pea plant. Panicledleaf ticktrefoil is native to North America and grows from Quebec to Florida. This species has minimal commercial use as forage for ruminants in pastures.
Zarzabacoa comun
Zarzabacoa comun
Zarzabacoa comun originates from Central and South America but has spread widely in North America and Hawaii as an invasive weed after being introduced as a fodder crop. This plant is used to control the parasitic weed “striga” in dry East African farmlands. Its ability to grow on poor-quality soil makes it a good grazing legume in parts of the Amazon basin.
Showy Tick-Trefoil
Showy Tick-Trefoil
Showy Tick-Trefoil (Desmodium canadense) lives up to the adjective modifying its common name when, in mid-summer, stunning fuchsia flowers make their appearance. It’s a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning that its roots are colonized by bacteria that extract nitrogen from the air, which the plant then uses, contributing nitrogen to the soil in the process.
Threeflower ticktrefoil
Threeflower ticktrefoil
Threeflower ticktrefoil is a flowering perennial that forms mats along the ground. It has hairy stems and pink to purple flowers and is native to the southernmost United States and Hawaii.
Prostrate ticktrefoil
Prostrate ticktrefoil
Prostrate ticktrefoil (Desmodium rotundifolium) is a plant species with an unclear native origin. Prostrate ticktrefoil is also called beggar lice and tick clover. There are dozens of species in the Desmodium genus and many of their taxonomic classifications have been contested by the scientific community.
Illinois tick trefoil
Illinois tick trefoil
A member of the bean family, illinois tick trefoil (Desmodium illinoense) is recognizable by its series of white-purple flowers. Its fuzzy seed pods attach themselves to fur or clothing in order to span distance and germinate more widely. This plant prefers to grow in open, sunny spaces, such as the Great Plains of the United States.
Sinulate-leaf tickclover
Sinulate-leaf tickclover
Sinulate-leaf tickclover is a perennial herbaceous plant known for its clustered pink to purple flowers that form on elongated racemes. It typically thrives in sun-drenched fields, adapting well to a range of soils but favoring well-drained areas. This species boasts trifoliate leaves, with each leaflet being lance-shaped and bearing a distinctive v-shaped mark. Its capacity for rapid growth and spread is largely due to its robust root system and its ability to form symbiotic relationships with soil bacteria.
Salparni
Salparni
Salparni (Desmodium gangeticum) is a widely spread tropical herb that you can find growing wild in tropical climates. The plant spreads by hairy seed pods that cling to passing animals and humans, and can also stick to people's skin and clothing. The plant is pollinated by insects such as bees, and cattle grazing also spreads its seeds.
Desmodium dillenii
Desmodium dillenii
Desmodium dillenii is a captivating plant with intriguing qualities. Its vibrant purple flowers and delicate foliage make it a stunning addition to gardens and natural landscapes. Not only does desmodium dillenii attract butterflies and bees, contributing to pollination, but it also has a remarkable ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, enhancing soil fertility. This plant holds cultural significance in traditional medicine for its various medicinal properties, highlighting its value beyond aesthetics. Its resilience and adaptability make it a valuable asset in ecological restoration projects.
Asian ticktrefoil
Asian ticktrefoil
Asian ticktrefoil is a perennial herb recognized by its trifoliate leaves and purplish-pink flowers. The plant prefers sunny, well-drained soils and often thrives in grasslands. Its seed pods are segmented, twisting as they dry—an adaptation likely aiding seed dispersal. This distinctive fruiting behavior, coupled with its ground-hugging stature, helps asian ticktrefoil succeed in open, competitive landscapes.
Pointedleaf ticktrefoil
Pointedleaf ticktrefoil
Pointedleaf ticktrefoil is a perennial herb with sticky hairs coating its stem and triangular leaves. Known for its dainty pink-purple flowers, it flourishes in moist woodlands and along streams. These habitats offer the dappled sunlight and rich soil that allow pointedleaf ticktrefoil to thrive, attracting pollinators while its roots help prevent soil erosion.
More Popular Genus
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Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Tick clover
Desmodium
Also known as: Beggar lice, Tick-trefoils
The tick clover genus contains flowering herbs and shrubs. Many genus members release toxins into the soil and surrounding air, which repel moths and suppress unwanted weeds. Some species of tick clover are utilized as living mulch or green manure to enhance nitrogen in the soil
Lifespan
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
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Key Facts About Tick clover
Feedback
Attributes of Tick clover
Flower Size
2.5 cm to 8 cm
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Scientific Classification of Tick clover
Distribution of Tick clover
Feedback
Distribution Map of Tick clover
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Tick clover
Feedback
The tick clover genus consists of perennial herbs and shrubs that require moderate maintenance and care. They need adequate exposure to sunlight, although they can tolerate partially shaded conditions. The plants prefer a well-draining soil, rich in organic matter, and need to be kept moist, but not soggy. A temperate climate is ideal. However, a frost-free environment is vital for their survival. Common challenges include pests such as aphids and spider mites and diseases like leaf spot. Different care considerations are required for changing seasons, such as reducing watering in winter and timely pruning in late winter or early spring.
How to Water Tick clover?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Tick clover?
How to Propagate Tick clover?
How to Plant Tick clover?
Exploring the Tick clover Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil
Panicledleaf ticktrefoil (Desmodium paniculatum) is a perennial herb related to the pea plant. Panicledleaf ticktrefoil is native to North America and grows from Quebec to Florida. This species has minimal commercial use as forage for ruminants in pastures.
Zarzabacoa comun
Zarzabacoa comun originates from Central and South America but has spread widely in North America and Hawaii as an invasive weed after being introduced as a fodder crop. This plant is used to control the parasitic weed “striga” in dry East African farmlands. Its ability to grow on poor-quality soil makes it a good grazing legume in parts of the Amazon basin.
Showy Tick-Trefoil
Showy Tick-Trefoil (Desmodium canadense) lives up to the adjective modifying its common name when, in mid-summer, stunning fuchsia flowers make their appearance. It’s a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning that its roots are colonized by bacteria that extract nitrogen from the air, which the plant then uses, contributing nitrogen to the soil in the process.
Threeflower ticktrefoil
Threeflower ticktrefoil is a flowering perennial that forms mats along the ground. It has hairy stems and pink to purple flowers and is native to the southernmost United States and Hawaii.
Show More Species
All Species of Tick clover
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
