Bird's-foot trefoil
Lotus corniculatus
Bird's-foot trefoil is a perennial herbaceous plant reaching heights of 5 to 30 centimeters. It belongs to the legume family and is known for its bright yellow flower heads, which are often tinged with red. The plant features a deep taproot and lives in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Rhizobia). It is an ecologically valuable species serving as a major food source for numerous insect species, particularly wild bees and butterfly larvae.
Details
Habitat function
Provides habitat and food for over 60 insect species, including the Common Blue butterfly.
Nutrient uptake
Efficient phosphate uptake; nitrogen demand is partially met through symbiosis with rhizobia.
Food source for
Wild bees, bumblebees, butterflies (e.g., Zygaena species) and their larvae.
Human use
Valuable forage plant for livestock, soil improver in agriculture, used in wildflower seed mixes.
Ecology
Ecological role
Nitrogen fixation in the soil, pioneer plant, important nectar source and host plant for specialized insects.
Natural predators
Various herbivores such as slugs, beetle larvae, and ungulates.
Competitor species
Highly competitive grasses on heavily fertilized sites.
Ecosystem service
Soil improvement (N-enrichment), pollination services, erosion control through deep root systems.
Threats
Intensification of agriculture, excessive herbicide use, and eutrophication of nutrient-poor grasslands.
Scientific profile
Profile
Reproduction
Primarily generative via seeds; additionally, vegetative reproduction via branched rhizomes and creeping stolons is possible.