Lotus maritimus

The Lotus maritimus, also known as the Sea Lotus, Square-pod Lotus or Pea Lotus, is a small perennial wild plant related to peas, forming a beautiful cushion of bluish leaves, divided into three leaflets, which harmonizes perfectly with large pale yellow papilionaceous flowers, very bright. Little used in gardens but formerly quite common in France, it illuminates wet and sunny areas, on limestone soil, with small yellow touches from spring to summer. It is easy to naturalize near water points, perfectly hardy, without concerns, but not invasive.

The lotus plants, perennial plants or undershrubs, have in common, like clover, this particular arrangement of leaves composed of 3 leaflets and, like peas, fruits in pods, edible in some species. The Lotus maritimus (Synonym Lotus siliquosus, Tetragonolobus siliquosus, Tetragonolobus maritimus) belongs to the family of fabaceae. It is native to central and southern Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Its natural environment, rather maritime, corresponds to wet meadows and marshes, on limestone or clayey soils. It is a perennial plant with initially prostrate and then erect stems, bearing blue-green, glabrous trifoliate leaves. It reaches about 30 cm (12in) in all directions. The yellow flowers, solitary, 2 to 2.5 cm (1in) wide, have the characteristic shape of papilionaceous flowers and bloom from May to July-August. The flowering is followed by the formation of pods bordered by 4 wings containing easily germinating seeds.

The sea lotus, is an excellent perennial for banks and wet areas, also easily grown in a simply moist, even occasionally dry, soil, and decorative for a long period. For example, it can be associated with other small plants suitable for limestone soil such as Thalictrum minus, Linum catharticum, Arabis hirsuta, Achillea, Agastache 'After Height', maritime silenes and small goldenrods.

The Lotus is a vulnerary plant, meaning that it helps in wound healing. It was formerly used to treat wounds.

This species is endangered in a large part of France, probably due to urbanization. Its habitats are rare and fragile (bare soils, wet for a good part of the year, temporarily wet marly meadows).