Buckbean

(Menyanthes trifoliata)

Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)

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Estimated Native Range
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Summary

Menyanthes trifoliata, commonly known as Buckbean, is a deciduous or semi-deciduous perennial herb native to peat bogs, marshes, and wetlands across the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, and Asia. It typically grows to a height of 0.8 feet (0.2 meters) and spreads 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 meters). The plant forms clumps of trifoliate leaves that float on the water’s surface or spread across wet ground. Buckbean produces showy inflorescences in the spring, consisting of erect racemes of white flowers tinged with pink, which are attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Buckbean is valued for its ornamental flowers and its ability to thrive in wet conditions, making it an excellent choice for water gardens, bog gardens, and the margins of ponds. It is also used in traditional medicine and has a history of being used as a bitter flavoring agent in liqueurs like schnapps. In cultivation, it requires full sun to part shade and consistently moist to wet soil with medium to slow drainage. While it is generally low-maintenance, it can spread aggressively in ideal conditions. Gardeners should be aware of its potential to become invasive outside its native range.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

  • Plant Type: Herb
  • Height: 0.3-1 feet
  • Width: 1-2 feet
  • Growth Rate: Moderate
  • Flower Color: White
  • Flowering Season: Spring
  • Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

  • Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
  • Water: High
  • Drainage: Medium, Slow

Common Uses

Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Low Maintenance, Showy Flowers, Water Garden

Natural Habitat

Peat bogs, marshes, and wetlands across the Northern Hemisphere

Other Names

Common Names: Bog Bean , Buck-Bean , Common Bogbean , Bog Buckbean , Bogbean , Bog-Myrtle , Marsh Trefoil , Marsh-Clover , Water Trefoil , Bukkeblad

Scientific Names: Menyanthes trifoliata , Menyanthes palustris , Menyanthes trifolium , Menyanthes trifoliata subsp. verna , Menyanthes trifoliata var. minor , Menyanthes americana , Menyanthes latifolia , Menyanthes paradoxa , Menyanthes tridentata , Menyanthes trifoliata f. brevistyla , Menyanthes verna

GBIF Accepted Name: Menyanthes trifoliata L.