Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Pruning guide · Perennial
Bird's-foot trefoil: when and how to prune
Lotus corniculatus
Bird's-foot trefoil is best pruned in March.
| Pruning months | March |
|---|---|
| Flowering | May–September |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees and butterflies |
| Native to Belgium | Yes |
Bird's-foot trefoil: when to prune it?
It hardly needs pruning. In March, cut or rake away the old, dead stems.
What else to prune in those months? March
Bird's-foot trefoil: how to prune it?
- In March, rake or cut away last year’s withered stems before the new shoots appear.
- In a lawn, mowing is enough: not too often and not too short.
- On a bank or in a meadow, leave a section uncut until the following spring: caterpillars of blues and cocoons of the six-spot burnet sit among the stems.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: March.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Bird's-foot trefoil flowers in May–September, when it attracts bees and butterflies.
- If you only cut back in March, the old stems stand through the winter: insects overwinter in them and birds eat the seeds.
- As a native plant, it feeds more insects than a non-native species.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Bird's-foot trefoil · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.