Spiny Restharrow – Ononis Spinosa

Spiny Restharrow - Ononis Spinosa

Spiny Restharrow (Ononis spinosa) is a member of the Pea Family and is sometimes known as Cammock, Ground Furze, Land Whin, Stinking Tommy or Wild Liquorice. Spiny Restharrow is a herb that produces single, dark pink pea like flowers and trifoliate leaves. Spiny Restharrow, similar to Common Rest-harrow, also has spines as its name suggests. It can be identified as its more erect, darker flowers and the appearance of 2 lines of hair up the stem rather than the stem being completely hairy.

Spiny Restharrow flowers between July to September and is pollinated by Bees. This plant likes to grow in infertile calcareous grasslands and is sometimes found on chalk or limestone soils, but very occasionally it can be found on heavy clay soils, but it does prefer to grow on rough grassland but does not do well on intensively managed or regularly grazed meadows.

Height: Up to 2ft
Flowering Time: July – September
Preferred Conditions: This plant prefers to grow in well drained chalk or limestone soil and it can also tolerate calcareous clay soil