Win some, lose some: for several years I've been trying to identify

[hedgehog]

and get seeds for a small clover that grows in my lawn. It stays low and has tiny yellow flowers. It looks perfect for my garden paths. I tried yellow clover, but that grows about 3 foot tall, not exactly what I had in mind! So today I triumphed: I found out that what I'm looking for is called hops clover:



The only problem now is that while I can find a lot of references to it, I can't find anyone who sells the seed!

I may be looking at something called black medic



but I can't find that seed either.

[MuseRider]

1. It is beautiful

I have it all over everywhere this year. As pretty as it is it is a very invasive plant. Be careful if you plant it. Still, I find it is very pretty. I took a great picture of it and I will put it on photobucket and post it.

Edit to add:

[hedgehog]

2. I can find all sorts of references to both plants; some recommending it for forage and

undercropping corn, the rest discussing how to kill it in your lawn.

[MuseRider]

3. I let it go this year

since this is my first year here working on a native prairie grass/wildflower restoration. It essentially covered so much territory, all the other clovers too, that the grass has yet to come up. Dumb for me to do that but I did not foresee how aggressive it would be. Still it is pretty and I am quite fond of it. The grass will be OK and come up better next year after I do my first burn next spring.

My goats love it. It seems good forage. It is not great for the other wildflowers but I can see I suppose how it would be good around corn keeping the weeds down and it most likely is good when tilled in. I assume it binds nitrogen?

[hedgehog]

4. It does fix nitrogen and is an imported species. My guess is that it has been replaced

by other clovers since Colonial times.


I have to do some more reading on the subject but I think burning is required to maintain prairie grasses. I think there is room for our imported species like clover and starlings, but I'm glad to see some land in preservation as well.

[Blue Gardener]

5. Check with your local farm co-ops

I would check wherever the farmers get their seed. If they don't have it, they can probably get it.

[MuseRider]

6. I do not know how to

collect the seeds but I could try and then send you some. Goodness knows I have tons and tons of it. I could try just waiting until they seem ready to fall off the plant and collect them, it might be worth a try.

[LiberalEsto]

7. It's definitely black medic

and I consider it a pesky weed.