Deervetches are annual or perennial forbs in the Lotus genus of the pea family. Their flowers typically start out yellow and often turn reddish over the course of the blooming season. Many of them are native to the Yuba-Sutter area.
Deervetches are a larval host plant for the local orange sulfur, Persius duskywing, Acmon blue, and Northern cloudywing butterflies. In addition, adult orange sulfur butterflies drink the nectar of deervetch flowers.
Perennials
Chaparral Bird's Foot Trefoil
Chaparral bird's foot trefoil (also called largeleaf deervetch) is native to Yuba County and typically grows at elevations below 6,000 feet. It is most often found on slopes in central oak woodland and yellow pine forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa. You can find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.
Streambank Bird's Foot Trefoil
Streambank bird's foot trefoil (also called narrowleaf deervetch) is native to Yuba County and typically grows at elevations below 15,000 feet. It is found in riparian forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa. You can find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.
Meadow Bird's Foot Trefoil
Meadow bird's foot trefoil (also called pinnateleaf deervetch) is native to Yuba County and typically grows at elevations below 6,000 feet. It is found in riparian forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa.
California Broom
California broom (also called deerweed) is a three-foot-tall deervetch that is native to Sutter County and typically grows at elevations below 5,000 feet. It is most often found on slopes.
You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website. You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa. You can find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.
Annuals
Colchita
Colchita (also called foothill bird's foot trefoil or shortpod deervetch) is native to Yuba and Sutter Counties and typically grows at elevations below 6,000 feet. It is found in central oak woodland, valley grassland, and yellow pine forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa.
Desert Bird's Foot Trefoil
Desert bird's foot trefoil (also called smallflower deervetch) is native to Yuba and Sutter Counties and typically grows at elevations below 5,000 feet. It is most often found on slopes in central oak woodland, valley grassland, and yellow pine forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa.
Spanish Clover
Spanish clover (also called Spanish deervetch) is a two-foot-tall deervetch that is native to Yuba and Sutter Counties. It is most often found in disturbed, weedy areas in central oak woodland, valley grassland, and yellow pine forest.
You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website. You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa. You can find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.
American Bird's Foot Trefoil
American bird's-foot trefoil is native to Yuba and Sutter Counties and typically grows at elevations below 7,500 feet. It is most often found in disturbed, weedy areas in central oak woodland, valley grassland, and yellow pine forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa.
Hairy Bird's Foot Trefoil
Hairy bird's foot trefoil is a one-foot-tall deervetch that is native to Sutter County and typically grows at elevations below 5,000 feet. It is most often found in disturbed, weedy areas in central oak woodland, valley grassland, and yellow pine forest.
You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website. You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa. You can find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.
Calf Bird's Foot Trefoil
Calf bird's foot trefoil (also called Chilean deervetch) is native to Sutter County and typically grows at elevations below 2,500 feet. It is most often found on slopes in central oak woodland, valley grassland, and yellow pine forest.
You can see pictures of it at CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa.
