Flower profile
Showy tick-trefoil
Desmodium canadense
Showy tick-trefoil is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Minnesota it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Minnesota
Quick look
Desmodium canadense is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to eastern North America. Its common names include showy tick-trefoil, Canadian tick-trefoil, and Canada tickclover.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 29 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Minnesota. NatureServe
- In Minnesota, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,803 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #67 among the 110 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist
Showy tick-trefoil gift ideas
Handmade showy tick-trefoil gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Showy tick-trefoil art print
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Showy tick-trefoil greeting card
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Showy tick-trefoil mug
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Showy tick-trefoil earrings
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Showy tick-trefoil embroidery pattern
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Showy tick-trefoil sticker
When does it bloom?
In Minnesota, most flowering sightings come in June–August.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Minnesota
- Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (SH), MD (SH), VA (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records showy tick-trefoil in 29 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
Minnesota counties with USDA records: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine.
More Minnesota flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DECA7.
- iNaturalist, Desmodium canadense: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Desmodium canadense (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Minnesota: Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300).
- Minnesota: Minnesota Noxious Weed List (Minn. Stat. § 18.79; Minnesota Department of Agriculture, updated January 2026).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Desmodium canadense (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Thomas Boe via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.