Cockscomb Sainfoin, Cockshead Sainfoin Care

A common weed of dry environments cockscomb sanfoin, Onobrychis caput-galli as its scientific name suggests is a fodder plant for donkeys and probably eaten by goats as well. They may form a tangled mass on the ground often growing together with the similar equal-toothed sanfoin, Onobrychis aequidentata.

The fruits are spiky and said to resemble cockscombs. The seeds have hard tough coats which delay germination, so instead of sprouting all at once germination is staggered, a strategy which aids survival of the species in adverse surroundings, some seeds remaining dormant will survive drought and to emerge when conditions improve.

This plant is useful.

This plant might be poisonous

How to get rid of: Broadleaf herbicides can do the job. These products generally contain the chemicals Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, Mecoprop, and Dicamba, which disrupt normal growth patterns and cause the weeds to twist, the leaves to cup, and the stems to crack. While these herbicides don’t harm surrounding grass, they can hurt some garden plants and insects, so it’s wise to spot treat directly on clover rather than apply freely.