Image of Desmodium canadense
image of Flowering plant
Desmodium canadense
Canada tick-trefoil
Desmodie du Canada

Obsolete Names

  • showy tick-trefoil
No seeds available for this plant.

We are not accepting seeds for this plant at the moment.

Bloom colour: Purple Bloom period: July - August
Max Height: 5.0 feet
Max Width: 1.0 feet
Light condition:
Full sun More than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Part shade More than 2 or 3 hours but less than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Moisture medium Tolerates medium soil condition
Lifespan : Perennial
Gardener Experience:
does not spread Does not spread uncontrollably
Landscape uses:
rock garden Suitable for rock gardens
rain garden Suitable for rain gardens
shoreline_rehab Suitable for shoreline rehabilitation
container suitable Suitable for container garden
Ecological Benefits:
Pollinator garden Supports pollinators
butterfly host Butterfly host
nitrogen fixer Fixes nitrogen in the soil
Tolerates:
drought Tolerant Tolerates drought conditions
Salt Tolerant Tolerates salt conditions
limestone Tolerant Tolerates limestone conditions
boulevard garden tolerant Tolerates boulevard garden conditions
transplantation Tolerant Tolerates transplantation

Plant Distribution

Native to Ottawa region: Yes

Distribution according to VASCAN

Distribution: Desmodium canadense
Ephemeral Native Introduced Excluded Extirpated Doubtful Absent
View taxonomy on Canadensys

View on iNaturalist

Thrives in Ecozones

  • Ecozone-Mixed Wood Plain
  • Ecozone-Boreal Shield

Butterflies Supported by Desmodium canadense

  • Cecropterus lyciades (Hoary Edge)

Bees Supported by Desmodium canadense

No bee data available for this plant.

Complementary Plants Plants that grow in similar conditions, that bloom at the same time.

  • No complementary plants found.

Sowing Information

  • Sowing depth: Sow just below surface
  • Sow anytime
  • Stratification duration: 0 days
  • Self-seeding

Harvesting Information

  • Harvesting indicator: Seeds easily fall off when you gently pull them off
  • Harvesting mean: Shake seed head in paper bag
  • Seed Viability Test: No test needed before donating
  • Packaging Measure: 1 rounded 1/8 teaspoon
  • Seed Storage: Air Dry in paper bag or open container, for a few days until crisp, shaking seeds to move them once in a while to prevent molding
  • On Cultivar: No, you can donate without knowing the source as there are only straight species