Desmodium
Beggarweed, Tick-trefoil, Tick clover
- Height × spread
- 1.5m – 1.5m × 1m – 1m
- Position
- Full sun
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
There are around 300 species within this family and they cover herbaceous and shrubby forms. A few of these are in cultivation. They are appealing, rather soft looking shrubs that have pea flowers carried in small clusters and in shades of white and purple and produced at the end of summer. They have soft leaflets, often rather rounded. These are often used as wall shrubs and not all forms are reliably hardy. They can reach several metres in height.
- Flower colour
- Red
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Bell
- Height
- 1.5m – 1.5m
- Spread
- 1m – 1m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, some are not hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Structural
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Prune old branches
On established shrubs, remove a third of the old branches to the base in early spring. Cut off old flower heads to a lower bud. This can be done every couple of years if the plant looks well-proportioned or is slow growing.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Where plants have moderate needs for nutrients, they can simply be given a general feed, fairly early in the growth season so that the growth has plenty of time to harden off before the cold weather.
Give plants a general boost with the application of a general purpose fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plant, with amounts as directed on the feed label.