Spotted medick
ExplorePlants
Spotted medick
Medicago arabica
The Spotted Medick is a small plant with pretty leaves that have little spots. It grows close to the ground and is often found in fields and gardens, making it a fun plant to discover!
Habitat: Grasslands
Appearance
The Spotted medick is a low-growing plant with small, bright yellow flowers. Its distinctive feature is the dark reddish-purple spot found in the center of each of its three clover-like leaves, making it easy to identify from other similar plants.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderFabalesFamilyFabaceaeGenusMedicago
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
At night, its leaves fold up, as if the plant is going to sleep!
Every leaf has a cool dark spot, like a secret tattoo from nature!
It's a cousin to alfalfa, a super important animal food plant!
Its tiny seeds are housed in pods that twist into amazing spiky spirals!
Special abilities
Ability
Soil Power-Up
Spotted medick can capture nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil, helping other plants grow stronger.
Ability
Sticky Seed Traveler
Spotted medick has spiral seed pods covered in tiny hooks that stick to animals, helping its seeds travel far.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-50 cm
- Spread
- 20-60 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.2-0.5 cm
- Bloom Season
- Spring to early Summer
- Edible
- Yes
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
symbiotic with
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Rhizobium leguminosarum
helps fix nitrogen in the soil
eaten by
Domestic sheep
Ovis aries
graze on its leaves in pastures
depends on
European honey bee
Apis mellifera
for pollination to produce seeds
Traits
Spotted
Marked with spots or patches of a different color.
Flowering
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Nitrogen Fixing
Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
Spring Blooming
Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Grassland
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Keystone Species
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always check with an adult before touching or picking plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Spotted medick?
10-50 cm
How wide does Spotted medick spread?
20-60 cm
How big are the flowers on Spotted medick?
0.2-0.5 cm
When does Spotted medick bloom?
Spring to early Summer
Is Spotted medick edible?
Yes
Is Spotted medick toxic?
None
What is Spotted medick's lifecycle?
Annual
How is Spotted medick pollinated?
Insect
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