What are the growth habit characteristics of bird's-foot trefoil?

Rosales, Fabaceae, Lotus genus, Latin scientific name:Lotus corniculatus L.

Five-leaf clover, bird's-foot bean, oxhorn flower

Bird's-foot trefoil is native to the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, and is now found throughout the world. In China it is mostly used as forage grass, and it is distributed in relatively large amounts in southwestern China. It is also a very good plant for soil and water conservation.

Bird's-foot trefoil plants are 15-50 cm tall, with an obvious main root and many lateral root branches; the stems and branches grow in clumps and creep along the ground, the stems are smooth, and the stems are about 70 cm long; at the stem tip there are trifoliate compound leaves, the leaf blades are obovate, and the two large stipules are very close to the leaf blades, so it is also called five-leaf clover; the inflorescence is umbel-like, with about 4-8 flowers at the top of the peduncle, and the flower color is pale yellow or bright yellow; the pod is located at the top of the peduncle and splits open, very much like a bird's foot, so it has the alternative name bird's-foot bean; the seeds are brown and kidney-shaped.

Bird's-foot trefoil likes a warm and humid climate, and the most suitable growth temperature is 18-25°C; the seedlings are not cold-tolerant, and the adult plants are slightly more cold-tolerant, but below 5°C the stems and leaves turn yellow and wither. Bird's-foot trefoil does not have high soil requirements, but it grows well in fertile soil with good drainage. Bird's-foot trefoil is a long-day plant and is not shade-tolerant; sufficient sunlight can promote flowering.