Minnesota Wildflowers


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Medicago lupulina (Black Medick)

Plant Info
Also known as:
Genus:Medicago
Family:Fabaceae (Pea)
Life cycle:annual, short-lived perennial
Origin:Europe
Habitat:part shade, sun; roadsides, waste areas, fields, lawns
Bloom season:May - September
Plant height:2 to 30 inches
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: irregular round

[photo of flowers] Round flower heads ¼ to 1/3 inches across at the end of stems arising from a leaf axil. There are up to 50 tiny yellow pea-shaped flowers in 1 flower head. One plant has numerous flower heads on branching stems.

Leaves and stem: alternate compound

[photo of leaves] Leaves are compound in 3s, alternately attached on stems up to 1¼ inch long. Leaflets are oval, egg or diamond shaped, tapering at the base, to ¾ inch long and 1/3 inch across, and hairy to varying degrees. The tip end of a leaflet may have fine teeth around the edge. The main stem is densely covered in fine white hairs but may become less hairy with age.

Notes:

Black Medick is a weedy plant often seen hiding in the grass and may be overlooked because of the small flower size. It can grow erect, but is more often sprawling. Hop Clover is a similar plant, but has much larger flowers.

Where to buy native seed and plants

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  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN June 2007 and 2008

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Sophie in Maple Grove
on: 2011-07-20 19:41:36

It's spreading all over our Maple Grove neighborhood and eating our grass.

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