# pointed-leaved tick-trefoil (*Hylodesmum glutinosum*) The pointed-leaved tick-trefoil is a lovely plant with long, pointed leaves. It grows in fields and meadows, adding beauty to the landscape with its delicate flowers. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Fields and meadows ![pointed-leaved tick-trefoil](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hylodesmum_glutinosum_-_Pointed_Leaf_Ticktrefoil.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hylodesmum_glutinosum_-_Pointed_Leaf_Ticktrefoil.jpg) ## Appearance The pointed-leaved tick-trefoil has distinctive three-part leaves, each leaflet tapering to a point. Its small, reddish-purple to pink flowers bloom on upright stalks. After flowering, it produces flat, sticky seed pods that easily attach to passersby. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Hylodesmum ## Interesting facts - Did you know its leaves can fold up like it's sleeping every night? Wow! - Even though it's called "tick-trefoil," it's not a tick and it doesn't cause ticks! - Its scientific name, glutinosum, means "sticky," just like its amazing seed pods! - This plant is a cousin to peas and beans, but its fruits are flat and super sticky! ## Special abilities - **Hitchhiker Seeds:** The pointed-leaved tick-trefoil has fuzzy, sticky seed pods that latch onto fur or clothes, helping it travel to new places and spread its seeds. - **Soil Enricher:** This plant can team up with tiny root bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air, making the soil healthier for other plants to grow. - **Night Sleeper:** The pointed-leaved tick-trefoil's leaves fold together at night, a cool trick that might help it save energy or avoid pests. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its small flowers - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses the plant's foliage and stems - **Eats:** [Bean leaf beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bean-leaf-beetle) (*Ceratoma trifurcata*) — feeds on the plant's leaves as a host - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobia bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen in its root nodules ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch wild plants unless a grown-up says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify pointed-leaved tick-trefoil? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is pointed-leaved tick-trefoil? 30-100 cm ### How wide does pointed-leaved tick-trefoil spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on pointed-leaved tick-trefoil? 0.5-1 cm ### When does pointed-leaved tick-trefoil bloom? Summer ### Is pointed-leaved tick-trefoil edible? No ### Is pointed-leaved tick-trefoil toxic? None ### What is pointed-leaved tick-trefoil's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gibraltar-rock-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Hidden Lake Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hidden-lake-gardens) — Michigan, US · Botanical Garden - [Ice Age Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ice-age-trail) — Wisconsin, US · National Park - [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Nichols Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nichols-arboretum) — Michigan, US · Botanical Garden - [Virginville](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/virginville) — Pennsylvania, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see pointed-leaved tick-trefoil](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pointed-leaved-tick-trefoil) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Pointed-leaved Tick-trefoil: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pointed-leaved-tick-trefoil)