Skip to product information
1 of 5

Ononis spinosa | spiny restharrow


This plant is not currently available, however, propagation is planned/underway. Please sign up for the waitlist below to receive updates on availability.


This spiny member of the pea family may not be the most collectible plant out there, but it is one of the toughest. It thrives in dry, infertile, sandy, sloped situations and makes it through the cold, wet winters of the northeast like a champ. Best planted en masse for a stunning flower display.

Spiny restharrow has typical pea-like flowers in light rose and purple shades and trifoliate leaves. It is high in calcium and potassium, fixes nitrogen, and helps to improve moisture in poor, sandy soils. 

Growing tip: plant when small and do not attempt to relocate. Long roots sincerely resent disturbance.

Zones: 5 to 9
Family: Papilionaceae
Type: Perennial
Height: 12 to 18 in.
Spread: 12 to 18 in.
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Conditions: dry, well-drained, average
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Color: pink
Native Range: Europe, Asia, and Africa

Special Characteristics
  • Deer-resistant
image credits

janetgraham84newCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
C T JohanssonCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ghislain118 (AD) http://www.fleurs-des-montagnes.netCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova
CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ononis spinosa (spiny restharrow) close up of bloom
Ononis spinosa (spiny restharrow) full plant in bloom
Ononis spinosa (spiny restharrow) flowers
Ononis spinosa (spiny restharrow) foliage
Ononis spinosa (spiny restharrow) 4" pot sale size
garden location coming soongarden location coming soon

view this plant in our gardens:

The Cobble Patch | 2024

seedling image

Ononis spinosa | spiny restharrow

We are slowly creating a seedling image library to help make weeding easier.
garden location coming soongarden location coming soon