Plant Details

Lotus corniculatus

Bird's Foot Trefoil

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Common names

45 names · 36 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Bird's Foot Trefoil
  • bird's-foot trefoil[1]
  • Birdsfoot[1]
+4 more namesShow fewer names
  • common bird's-foot trefoil[1]
  • eggs-and-bacon[1]
  • ground honeysuckle[1]
  • Trefoil[1]
Other languages (35)
Dutch
  • Gewone rolklaver[1]
French
  • Lotier corniculé[1]
Arabic
  • قرن الغزال الياباني[1]
  • لوطس ياباني[1]
Belarusian
  • Рутвіца рагатая[1]
Bulgarian
  • Обикновен звездан[1]
Catalan
  • Lot corniculat[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Roščićava svinduša[1]
Czech
  • štírovník růžkatý[1]
Danish
  • Almindelig kællingetand[1]
Estonian
  • harilik nõiahammas[1]
Faroese
  • hornut tyriltunga[1]
Finnish
  • keltamaite[1]
German
  • Gewöhnlicher Hornklee[1]
  • Wiesen-Hornklee[1]
Greek
  • Λωτός ο κερατιοφόρος[1]
Hungarian
  • szarvaskerep[1]
Irish
  • Crobh éin[1]
Italian
  • ginestrino[1]
Japanese
  • ミヤコグサ[1]
  • 都草[1]
Korean
  • 서양벌노랑이[1]
Latvian
  • Ragainais vanagnadziņš[1]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastasis garždenis[1]
Norwegian
  • tiriltunge[1]
Polish
  • Komonica zwyczajna[1]
Portuguese
  • Cornichão[1]
Romanian
Russian
  • Лядвенец рогатый[1]
Slovak
  • ľadenec rožkatý[1]
Slovenian
  • Navadna nokota[1]
Spanish
  • zapaticos de la Virgen[1]
Swedish
  • Käringtand[1]
Turkish
  • gazelboynuzu[1]
Ukrainian
  • Лядвенець рогатий[1]
Welsh
  • Pys y ceirw[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Lotus corniculatus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • bird's-foot trefoil — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • common bird's-foot trefoil — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • eggs-and-bacon — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • ginestrino — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • keltamaite — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Gewöhnlicher Hornklee — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Komonica zwyczajna — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Lotier corniculé — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Лядвенец рогатый — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • ground honeysuckle — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Käringtand — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • štírovník růžkatý — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • tiriltunge — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Almindelig kællingetand — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Λωτός ο κερατιοφόρος — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • zapaticos de la Virgen — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Gewone rolklaver — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Lot corniculat — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Paprastasis garždenis — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Обикновен звездан — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Cornichão — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • ľadenec rožkatý — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • 百脈根 — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • 百脉根 — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • harilik nõiahammas — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Лядвенець рогатий — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Crobh éin — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • 서양벌노랑이 — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • gazelboynuzu — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Wiesen-Hornklee — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • hornut tyriltunga — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Рутвіца рагатая — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Birdsfoot — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Trefoil — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Navadna nokota — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • لوطس ياباني — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • قرن الغزال الياباني — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • szarvaskerep — results[1].names[39]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Ragainais vanagnadziņš — results[1].names[40]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Ghizdei — results[1].names[41]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Roščićava svinduša — results[1].names[42]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • ミヤコグサ — results[1].names[43]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • 都草 — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.
  • Pys y ceirw — results[1].names[45]; taxon id 47435; Lotus corniculatus.

General information

Scientific name: Lotus corniculatus
Accepted name (Kew): Lotus corniculatus L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fabaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Lotus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Bird's Foot Trefoil
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.30 m
Spread: 0.50 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3-8
Soil moisture:
Moist, Well-drained
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Seed pod
Edibility rating:
(1)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Bee forage, Fragrant, Dye

Description

The young pods are 'nibbled'. Caution is advised, see the comments on toxicity. All parts of the plant are toxic and contain cyanogenic glycosides (hydrogen cyanide). In small amounts, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion. It is also claimed to have benefits in cancer treatment. However, in large amounts, it can cause respiratory failure and even death. This species is polymorphic for cyanogenic glycosides. The flowers of some forms of the plant contain traces of prussic acid, making the plants slightly toxic during flowering. They are completely harmless when dried.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/06
Harvest ends: 15/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 54562; name ID 2344629; Lotus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 56581; name ID 2345329; Lotus corniculatus L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Lotus corniculatus

    Taxonomic data from WCVP-Fabaceae, version 2026, v.7, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. This shares the Kew WCVP evidence base cited on this page.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 559253, ID 3W7ZK: Lotus corniculatus L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .