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. The genus name is from the Greek word "Medlick" or "medick" meaning alfalfa and the species epithet polymorpha means many forms or variable. The common name, burclover, comes from summer grazing sheep that often accumulate numerous burs in the wool. It grows up to 2 feet, usually in full sun, 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. It is adaptable to most soil types and moisture levels. As a lawn weed, it can be controlled by hand pulling, mowing and herbicides. The yellow flowers attract pollinators and the compound leaves have three round leaflets, making it look clover-like. The fruit coils and is covered in burrs, allowing it to attach to clothes and fur. Bur medick is commonly used as a cover crop in orchards because of its dense growth and ability to fix nitrogen and as forage. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
The alternate green compound leaves have three round leaflets appearing clover-like. They sometimes have purple and white markings on their upper surface or a small inverted V mark at the base of the leaf.. The margins are slightly serrated
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower form
Insignificant; Raceme
Flower shape
Lipped
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small yellow flowers appear in clusters at the end of stems from March to June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer; Winter
Fruit color
Black; Gray/Silver
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit detail
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.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
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.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
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.
Attracts
Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Seeds
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Legume
Edibility
Plant is edible and used as a vegetable in China. The seeds can be ground and used to make mu
Uses (ethnobotany)
All livestock except horses and mules will eat bur clover readily, especially when the plant is maturing. Bur clover is used for medicinal purposes in India, Italy and other countries.