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Herbaceous Perennial

Onobrychis viciifolia

sainfoin

A bushy, hardy perennial wildflower to around 75cm in height, with green, pinnate foliage. Upright spikes of nectar-rich, pea-like pink-red flowers with darker striping appear from May to September, tending to sprawl and spread out amongst other plants if not supported. A great pollinator plant for many varieties of bees and extremely drought tolerant, thriving on very poor soils, and nitrogen-fixing. An ideal addition to chalky wildlife meadows

Other common names

cock's head
common sainfoin
see morecommon saintfoin
esparcet
esparsette
fodder grass
French grass
holy clover

Synonyms

Onobrychis sativa

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in free-draining, chalky soil in full sun. May take a year to establish. Great as part of a wildflower border or meadow planting scheme

Propagation

Propagate by seed in spring or division of established clumps in early spring. See sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildflower meadow
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Deadhead to encourage fresh growth. Cut back after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to Fusarium wilt, sclerotinia disease and root and crown rots

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