Horseshoe vetch
Hippocrepis comosa
- Layer 5 · Ground cover
- Nitrogen fixer
Status by region
No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.
Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).
Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.
About
Small creeping perennial legume with yellow flowers, typical of dry calcareous meadows. Fixes nitrogen in the soil and is widely visited by butterflies and bees. In the food forest it occupies the ground cover layer, combining nitrogen enrichment with soil protection.
It can be planted now — September is one of the best months.
See which trees horseshoe vetch grows well with
These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.
No account needed.
Needs
- Water: Low
- Light: Full sun
- Size: Creeping mat up to 0.2 m
- Mature diameter: 0.3 m
- Soils: Sandy, Loam, Limestone
- Climates: Hot, dry Mediterranean, Atlantic coast, Inland / Continental, Mountain / cold
Calendar
- January
- February
- March — Planting
- April — Planting
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September — Planting
- October — Planting
- November
- December
- Harvest
- Planting
Where to buy
Central trees worth considering
May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.
May grow well with
Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.
Common myrtleMyrtus communissame climate · same soil · different layers · complementary functions · same exposure · same water needs
Mediterranean buckthornRhamnus alaternussame climate · same soil · different layers · complementary functions · same exposure · same water needs
WhitebeamSorbus ariasame climate · same soil · different layers · complementary functions · same exposure · same water needs
Manna ashFraxinus ornussame climate · same soil · different layers · complementary functions · same exposure · same water needs
Portuguese oakQuercus fagineasame climate · same soil · different layers · complementary functions · same exposure · same water needs
Stone pinePinus pineasame climate · same soil · different layers · complementary functions · same exposure · same water needs
Related plants
Other species in the same layer or with the same function.
It can be planted now — September is one of the best months.
See which trees horseshoe vetch grows well with
These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.
No account needed.
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