Ononis is a large genus of perennial herbs and shrubs from the legume family Fabaceae. The members of this genus are often called restharrows as some species grow as weeds on arable lands whose tough stems would stop the harrow. They are natively distributed in Europe.
In herbalism restharrow is used to treat bladder and kidney problems and water retention.
The active ingredients in restharrow are essential oils, flavonoid-glycosides, and tannins.
Parasitic plant.
The wiry, branched stem is downy and nearly always spiny, and grows to a height of 18 in (46 cm). The leaves are small, dark green, oval or trefoil, with toothed leaf-like stipules at their base. The flowers are deep pink and white, with the wings shorter than the hooked keel, and the calyx usually shorter than the pod.
This plant is useful.
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.
Get rid of small clumps as soon as you notice them by gently loosening the soil around the base with a spade or your fingers, then plucking the clover up. Be sure you get all of the root.
