Some road ditches and fields are displaying yellow flowers which are attracting a lot of bees. Birdsfoot Trefoil is a plant used in agriculture as a forage plant for pasture, hay and silage and used as an alternative to alfalfa in poor soils. It has become an invasive species in some regions of North America.
The flowers develop into small pea-like pods or legumes. The name ‘bird’s foot’ refers to the appearance of the seed pods on their stalk. There are five leaflets, but with the central three held conspicuously above the others, hence the use of the name trefoil.
Birdsfoot Trefoil
