Showy Tick-Trefoil

Showy Tick Trefoil is a flowering perennial native to Ontario. In summer, upright clusters of small rosy-purple, pea-like flowers appear and attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. It is also a larval host plant for the Silver-spotted Skipper and Hoary Edge butterflies. The flowers are followed by flat seed pods that break into small segments and readily cling to clothing and animal fur, helping the plant spread.

As a member of the legume family, Showy Tick Trefoil can help add nitrogen back into the soil through its association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Showy Tick Trefoil grows best in full sun to part shade with average, well-drained soil. It is adaptable to a range of soil conditions and is drought-tolerant once established. Its upright habit and showy flowers make it a good choice for native gardens, meadows, and naturalized plantings.