Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Illinois Tick Trefoil
Desmodium illinoense
[C-value
6]
Bean family (Fabaceae)
Blooms July -
mid-August
The lovely native Illinois Tick Trefoil is rare in our area. It prefers full or partial sun and slightly moist fertile soil. Habitats include black soil prairies, oak savannas, and moist areas along railroads. This perennial grows to 2½–4' tall with a stout round central stem covered with fine hooked hairs. The alternate compound leaves are trifoliate (3-leaflets) with petioles about 1–2½" long. The leaflets are up to 3½" long and 1" across, oblong and untoothed. The central stem terminates in an elongated raceme of flowers about ½–1½' long, with only a few flowers in bloom at the same time. Each purplish-pink or white flower is about 1/3" long.
Illinois Tick Trefoil at Millbrook South Forest Preserve July 15, 2013
Illinois Tick Trefoil stem and trifoliate leaf at Millbrook South Forest Preserve July 15, 2013
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