What is desmodium?

desmodium is a permanent flowering plant that is a member of the Fabaceae family or peas. These plants grow along roads, open forests and pastures throughout the southeastern part of the United States, as well as parts of South New York and to Eastern Pennsylvania. Tick ​​Trefoil, Tick Clover or Beggar lice are other common names for this plant.

considered a wild knob or weed, desmodium can reach a height that is as high as 6 feet (182.88 cm), although it usually grows to a height that is much shorter. Plants have slender leaves that are dark green in color and grow like leaflets in groups of three. The desmodium flowers are usually pink to purple pink and grow to a length of 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).

Blooms of Desmodium will first appear in June and the end of July or August. These flowers are formed at the end of the long stems and can appear as freely or tightly wrapped clusters. Each of these flowering clusters can have a only 100 flowers for these smallElegant flowers.

Although desmodium flowers have only two petals, they play an important role in the pollination of the plant. When unconscious insects land on the nectar on the Nectar, the petals close briefly over the insects and the flower shoots on the insects of spray pollen as a way to ensure pollination. After pollination occurs, the flower opens again and allows insects to leave.

As soon as this pollination occurs, the flower blooms and seeds called Loment grow in place. These pods have sticky hairs that attach to animal fur or clothing when rubbing or brushing on a plant. To help in this distribution, the plant actually bends closer to the ground when it matures. This allows a better chance to transfer the seed to creation or man and travel elsewhere.

Favorite flowering plant for hummingbirds and butterflies, individuals sometimes use desmodium in flower gardens and teRenic modifications. When they were launched in an established garden, individuals should take care of placing plants in an area where other types of flowers that already exist. These plants are considered highly adaptable, quite hardy and can tolerate different soils. They prefer soil that is wetter than dry, but if they have the sun, desmodium is happy.