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Greater bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus uliginosus)

Greater bird's-foot trefoil is an introduced perennial legume that can form dense stands in wet areas and pastures. It can compete with native plants and spread beyond planted or established sites.

Key facts

Type: Weed, herb.

Native to: Europe.

Established in: QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, WA.

Other names: Marsh bird's-foot trefoil, Big trefoil.

Best time to act: Find plants when they are flowering and treat them before seed pods mature, then check for regrowth.

Identification

  • It is a low-growing to upright perennial with creeping underground stems and branching above-ground stems.
  • Its leaves have five oval leaflets, with the lower pair close to the stem.
  • Yellow, pea-like flowers grow in clusters at the ends of stems.
  • The flowers develop into narrow, straight seed pods that darken as they mature.
  • Look-alike: Bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) also has yellow pea-like flowers, but is generally less associated with persistently wet ground and lacks the same vigorous creeping growth.

Where it grows

In Australia it occurs in damp pastures, wetlands, and along stream margins and other moist ground.

Why it matters

  • Dense growth can compete with native wetland and pasture plants.
  • Its creeping growth can make infestations persistent and difficult to remove completely.
  • As a legume, it can add nitrogen to the soil and may alter conditions for other plants.

How it spreads

  • Seeds can be moved in contaminated soil, fodder, or machinery.
  • Water can carry seed to new areas.
  • Creeping underground stems can help established patches expand.

Control options

  • For small patches, remove plants carefully, including the creeping underground stems, and check the site for regrowth.
  • Prevent plants from setting seed and revisit treated areas to deal with new growth.
  • Use registered herbicides only where appropriate for the site, following the product label and any environmental requirements.
  • For infestations in wetlands or waterways, choose approved methods suited to the site and avoid disturbing the area unnecessarily.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material from vehicles, machinery, boots, and equipment before leaving an infested site.
  • Avoid moving contaminated soil or fodder, and check material for seeds before transporting it.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources