Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense)




Showy tick trefoil (Desmodium canadense) is a tall, bushy perennial wildflower native to North America, including Wisconsin. Reaching heights of two to six feet, it produces clusters of pink to purple, pea-shaped flowers near the tops of its slender stems during mid to late summer.

Its leaves are made up of three grey-green leaflets, each about two to three inches long and narrower than half their length. The leaflets are oblong or lance-shaped, rounded at the tips, and the undersides have tiny hooked hairs—an ingenious feature that helps the plant’s sticky seed pods latch onto fur or clothing for dispersal.

This wildflower is versatile in its growing preferences, thriving in full sun or partial shade. You’ll find it in open woods, prairies, and disturbed areas like roadsides. It’s drought-tolerant thanks to a deep taproot and even improves the soil around it by fixing nitrogen—making it an excellent choice for native plant gardens or ecological restoration projects.

Additionally, showy tick trefoil plays a valuable role in supporting local wildlife. It provides nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies, and serves as a host plant for caterpillars of species such as the Eastern Tailed Blue, Gray Hairstreak, and Silver-spotted Skipper.
(July)