Birdsfoot Trefoil

Lotus corniculatus L.

Symbol:

LOCO6

Group:

Dicot

Family:

Fabaceae

Description:

Herbaceous, short-lived perennial legume adapted to humid, temperate regions. Used in permanent pastures or as a hay crop, alone or sown in combination with grasses. Also used for erosion control, as wildlife forage, and as a ground cover. Performs well in soils too acidic or too poorly drained for alfalfa.

Uses:

Pasture

Hay

Mixture

Soil Protection (Cover Crop)

Wildlife

Species Selection Characteristics

Annual Precipitation (inches):

24 to 28

28 to 32

32 to 36

36 to 40

40 to 50

50 to 60

60 to 70

70 to 80

80 to 100

100 to 120

120 to 140

140 to 160

> 160

Plant Hardiness Zones (cold tolerance):

Soil pH Tolerance:

Strongly acid, 5.1–7.3

Moderately acid, 5.6–7.3

Moderately acid to moderately alkaline, 5.6–8.4

Slightly acid to moderately alkaline, 6.1–8.4

Near neutral, 6.1–7.3

Flooding Tolerance:

7-30 days

Soil Salinity Tolerance:

Moderately sensitive, 1.5–3 dS/m

Identification Characteristics

Type:

Legume

Growth Season:

Warm

Identification Characteristics:

Identification characteristics include having five nearly hairless leaflets with the central three held conspicuously above the others.

Growth Habit and Stand Life

Life Cycle:

Long-lived perennial

Climate and Soil Suitability Zones

Climate Tolerances:

Extensively grown in humid, temperate regions. In the USA, this includes northeastern and north-central states from Maine and northern Minnesota to Tennessee and northern Arkansas and throughout northwest coastal areas and intermountain valleys. Requires 25-40 inches (635-1000 mm) of precipitation or irrigation.

Soil Tolerances:

Very tolerant of waterlogged soils; can withstand several weeks of flooding. Tolerant of strongly acid soils (pH 5.1-8.4) but for maximum yields, pH 5.8-7.5 recommended. Moderately tolerant of high alkalinity and saline conditions (1.5-3 dS/m).

Cultivars

Low growing (e.g. ‘Empire’ and ‘Dawn’) varieties typically for grazing; upright, European types (e.g. ‘Viking’) for hay and pasture. Low-growing types are more cold tolerant and bloom later. ‘Norcen’ is an intermediate type that persists longer than upright cultivars. Principal cultivars planted in the western US include ‘Cascade’, ‘Granger’, and ‘Kalo’.