Bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) is a perennial plant that can grow 10cm – 50cm tall and 10cm – 50cm wide.

This plant has several common names including: bird’s foot trefoil, eggs and bacon, bird’s eyes, bird’s foot clover, bloomfel, butter-jags, cat in clover, cheesecake grass, cross toes, crowtoes, crow’s foot, fingers and thumbs, fingers and toes, ground honeysuckle, lady’s fingers, lady’s slipper, lamb’s cress, lamb’s toes, sheep foot or shoes and stockings.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 1-2 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: bird’s foot trefoil, eggs and bacon, bird’s eyes, bird’s foot clover, bloomfel, butter-jags, cat in clover, cheesecake grass, cross toes, crowtoes, crow’s foot, fingers and thumbs, fingers and toes, ground honeysuckle, lady’s fingers, lady’s slipper, lamb’s cress, lamb’s toes, sheep foot, shoes and stockings
Scientific name: Lotus corniculatus
Plant type: Perennials
Habit: Bushy
Height: 10cm – 50cm
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Chalk, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Wildflower meadow

Seasonal colors

How to plant Bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) – Jeran Renz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cultivation profiles – Growing Bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) – Robert Flogaus-Faust, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons