Pollinator plant

Horseshoe vetch

Hippocrepis comosa

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Common names

27 names · 19 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (18)
Dutch
French
+4 more namesShow fewer names
  • Hippocrépide en ombelle[2][3]
  • Hippocrépide fer-à-cheval[2][3]
  • Hippocrépide à toupet[2][3]
  • Hippocrépis chevelu[2][3]
Catalan
  • desferracavalls[3]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 多叶马蹄豆[3]
Croatian
  • Kitnjasta potkovica[3]
Czech
  • podkovka chocholatá[3]
Danish
  • gul hestesko[3]
Finnish
  • nystyhevonpalko[3]
German
  • Gewöhnlicher Hufeisenklee[2][3]
  • Schopfiger Hufeisenklee[2][3]
Hungarian
  • heverő patkófű[3]
  • patkófű[3]
Italian
Polish
  • Konikleca czubata[3]
Russian
  • Подковник хохлатый[3]
Slovak
  • podkovka chochlatá[3]
Slovenian
  • navadna podkvica[3]
Spanish
Swedish
  • hästskoklöver[3]
Ukrainian
  • Підківка чубата[3]
Sources & name notes (3)

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

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

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

[1] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • horseshoe vetch — Page 1, column 2, row top 607 pt; common-name cell after Hippocrepis comosa.; Hippocrepis comosa.
[2] Hippocrepis comosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • horseshoe vetch — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Gewöhnlicher Hufeisenklee — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Schopfiger Hufeisenklee — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • herraduras — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • fer à cheval — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Fer-à-cheval — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide chevelue — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide en ombelle — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide fer-à-cheval — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide à toupet — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépis chevelu — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Sferracavallo comune — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Paardenhoefklaver — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
[3] Hippocrepis comosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • horseshoe vetch — results[6].names[1]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Gewöhnlicher Hufeisenklee — results[6].names[2]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Schopfiger Hufeisenklee — results[6].names[27]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • herraduras — results[6].names[14]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • fer à cheval — results[6].names[21]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Fer-à-cheval — results[6].names[20]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide chevelue — results[6].names[18]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide en ombelle — results[6].names[23]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide fer-à-cheval — results[6].names[19]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépide à toupet — results[6].names[22]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Hippocrépis chevelu — results[6].names[24]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Sferracavallo comune — results[6].names[10]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Paardenhoefklaver — results[6].names[3]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • podkovka chocholatá — results[6].names[4]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Konikleca czubata — results[6].names[5]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Подковник хохлатый — results[6].names[6]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • desferracavalls — results[6].names[7]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • hästskoklöver — results[6].names[8]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Kitnjasta potkovica — results[6].names[9]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • Підківка чубата — results[6].names[11]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • navadna podkvica — results[6].names[12]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • gul hestesko — results[6].names[13]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • podkovka chochlatá — results[6].names[15]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • patkófű — results[6].names[16]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • heverő patkófű — results[6].names[17]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • nystyhevonpalko — results[6].names[25]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
  • 多叶马蹄豆 — results[6].names[26]; taxon id 133488; Hippocrepis comosa.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Fabaceae

Genus-level classification for Hippocrepis; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Hippocrepis comosa in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Low
Plant profile

About this plant

Horseshoe vetch (Hippocrepis comosa) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from May to June.

Sources and references

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

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Hippocrepis — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): Fabaceae. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 3795581; ID 9CKZD; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 1, column 2, entry Hippocrepis comosa (top 607 pt)

    Source checked on .