Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense)
Showy Tick Trefoil is indeed showy and attracts many different kinds of insects, especially our native bees! It is the host plant to the Eastern-Tailed Blue, Grey Hairstreak, Silver-Spotted Skipper, and possibly a few more (illinoiswildflower.org). The pollen, seeds, and foliage of this species appeal to a number of insects, birds, and mammals. The seedpods can cling to the fur of mammals and the clothing of humans, causing this plant to spread into new areas.
Photo credit: (1) Peganum, (2-3) John Blair
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 5 feet
Plant Spacing: 3 feet
Bloom Time: July-August
Bloom Color: Purple
Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant
Host Plant: Eastern-Tailed Blue, Grey Hairstreak, Silver-Spotted Skipper, and possibly a few other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.org) (Natural History Museum Host Database)
