Bur Medick Medicago polymorpha
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Medicago hispida
- Phonetic Spelling
- med-DIK-ah-go pol-ee-MOR-fuh
- Description
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Bur Medick is an annual or short lived perennial, flowering, shallow-rooted legume in the bean family native to the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It grows up to 2 feet, forming mats on the ground as it spreads horizontally. It is often found along roadsides, disturbed areas, and stream banks. The plant can spread aggressively and can become invasive as numerous prostrate stems branch from the crown and spread out 6 to 30 inches. The common name, Burclover comes from summer grazing sheep that often accumulate numerous burs in the wool.
Bur Medick does well in full sun or partial shade, moist to dry conditions, and prefers well-drained loamy or fertile soil. It will not do well in droughty, sulfur deficient, granite soils of low fertility.
In its roots it is able to form a symbiotic relationship with a fungus (Sinorhizobium medicae) which allows it fix nitrogen in the soil. When removing the plant remains at the end of the growing season, remove the surface parts of the plant and leave the roots to decay and release their nitrogen. Bur Medick is commonly used as a cover crop in orchards because of its dense growth and ability to fix nitrogen.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Medicago
- Species:
- polymorpha
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- All livestock except horses and mules will eat bur clover readily, especially when the plant is maturing.
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe east to Central Asia, Northern Africa and Arabia.
- Distribution:
- Europe, Asia, Australia, western United States, Central America, and western South America.
- Wildlife Value:
- Quail and deer make extensive use of the dry burs.
- Edibility:
- Plant is edible and used as a vegetable in China.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Ground Cover
- Perennial
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Dense
- Horizontal
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Gray/Silver
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Description:
- Prickly, gray black, cylindrical and coiled with burs that attach to fur for dispersal. The flattened, coiled pod, commonly up to 1/4 inch wide. Well developed plants may produce more than 1,000 pods. The seed is large - over 3/32 of an inch in length.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescence is limited, presenting only a few small, 1/4 inch yellow, pea-like flower that begin blossoming in February or March.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are subglabrous and clover-like in appearance, with wedge-shaped leaflets toothed toward the top.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Light green or red-green stems with white hairs can reach a length of 30 inches. Older plants have less hair. They may also be branched, prostrate, or ascending.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Weedy
