Hippocrepis comosa

RHS Plant Profile
horseshoe vetch

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horseshoe vetch visionspictures.com
horseshoe vetch visionspictures.com

Other common names

unshoe-the-horse

Synonyms

Coronilla comosa

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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A vigorous, creeping woody-based perennial, about 40cm tall, with mid-green leaves to 10cm long divided into leaflets, and bearing heads of up to 12 lemon-yellow flowers from late spring to late summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
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)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Spreading branched
Genus
Hippocrepis are herbaceous perennials or shrubs, with pinnate leaves and yellow, pea-like flowers followed by long, narrow pods
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in poor, well-drained, alkaline soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in spring or autumn, propagate by root cuttings of non-flowering shoots in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Wildlife gardens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free