Black medick
Scientific name: Medicago lupulina
Family: Fabaceae
Other common names; Lupuline, Nonsuch clover, Yellow clover
Flowering time: April to September
Height: 10-50cm
Growing conditions: poorly drained soils and disturbed areas
Nectar source for: many bees, moths and butterflies including Common blue, Brown argus, Gatekeeper, Meadow brown
Food source for: many butterfly caterpillars
Description
An annual or short-lived perennial with a deep tap root, sprawling stems. Small, hairy clover-like leaves and small, yellow, clover-like flowers from mid spring to mid summer, followed by black seed pods when ripe.
How to identify: A low, often prostrate, hairy plant. The leaves are trifoliate and widest above the middle. Flowers are yellow and 2-3 mm, with many to a raceme. Pods are coiled, sickle or kidney shaped, and 1.5-3 mm, black when ripe.
How to propagate: Propagate from seed sown in autumn.
Family: Fabaceae
Other common names; Lupuline, Nonsuch clover, Yellow clover
Flowering time: April to September
Height: 10-50cm
Growing conditions: poorly drained soils and disturbed areas
Nectar source for: many bees, moths and butterflies including Common blue, Brown argus, Gatekeeper, Meadow brown
Food source for: many butterfly caterpillars
Description
An annual or short-lived perennial with a deep tap root, sprawling stems. Small, hairy clover-like leaves and small, yellow, clover-like flowers from mid spring to mid summer, followed by black seed pods when ripe.
How to identify: A low, often prostrate, hairy plant. The leaves are trifoliate and widest above the middle. Flowers are yellow and 2-3 mm, with many to a raceme. Pods are coiled, sickle or kidney shaped, and 1.5-3 mm, black when ripe.
How to propagate: Propagate from seed sown in autumn.