Restharrow: plants, effects & beautiful species

Restharrow is a bee-friendly garden perennial that has been valued for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. We present the flowering, pretty-looking shrub in more detail.

As a true wild bee magnet, the restharrow (Ononis) not missing in your garden. The thorny restharrow thrives in sandy and sunny locations in particular. In this article you will learn how to cultivate the small shrub with the many flowers in your garden, what types there are and how the plant is used as a medicinal herb.

Restharrow: origin and characteristics

The genus of resthocks (Ononis) belongs to the legumes and is therefore in the same plant family as, for example, the pea (Pisum sativum) and the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to settle. The approximately 88 species of restharrow are mainly found in the Mediterranean region, and they are particularly common in Morocco and Spain. Only three species are native to Central Europe: The Thorny Restharrow (

Ononis spinosa), the round-leaved restharrow (Ononis rotundifolia) and the yellow restharrow (Ononis sodium). The most common is the thorny panther, also known as women's warfare, a thorn or spiny herb. Since this is the only one in Germany that can be cultivated well, it is the main subject of this article.

The Thorny Restharrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. spinosa) is a perennial, 10 to 80 cm high subshrub. This means that the shoots near the ground become slightly lignified and that the rest of the harrow sprout from these lignified shoots after the winter. The red stems form a nice contrast to the dark green leaves, are only woody at the base and with their sharp thorns give this restharrow species its name. The three-part pinnate leaves are alternately arranged on the stems. The flowers of the restharrow appear from April to September and are located as moderately dense flower clusters in the leaf axils. The relationship to the pea can be seen from the flowers, because the restharrow, like peas and beans, has butterfly flowers.

The pink flowers of the thorny restharrow exude a very sweet, almost unpleasant, smell during the flowering period Fragrance and thus attract many bees: 15 different species of wild bees use the thorny restharrow as a pollen source. But not only bees like the restharrow. It is also the most important food source for the caterpillar of the common blue (Polymmatus icarus), a rare butterfly. After flowering, small, hairy, kidney-shaped buds form legumes. The up to 60 cm deep taproot, which is used as medicine in naturopathy, is particularly characteristic of the thorny rest-harrow.

The most beautiful types and varieties

• Thorny restharrow (Ononis spinosa): The thorny shrub may look a bit rough in spring, but from June to September this impression is broken by the multitude of pink flowers.

• Yellow restharrow (Ononis natrix): The flower color of the yellow restharrow also corresponds to its name. The shrub, up to 70 cm high, is used exclusively as an ornamental plant in Mediterranean gardens. Red veins can be seen on the still closed flowers, which are located on the underside of the petals. The yellow restharrow only grows on dry, calcareous, warm and permeable, preferably stony soil. Therefore, the cultivation only makes sense in certain places.

• creeping restharrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. procurrent): Also as Ononis repens called, the creeping rest-hedge is a subspecies of the thorny rest-hedge and a real bee pasture: ten wild bee species collect pollen in their pink flowers. As the name suggests, the creeping axilla is suitable as an uncomplicated soil cover, best on stony, dry and well-drained soil in full sun.

• Round-leaved restharrow (Ononis rotundifolia): This species also grows as a small shrub and has pink flowers. Unlike its peers, it has spoon-shaped leaves. In addition, the round-leaved restharrow also feels comfortable in partial shade - in contrast to its conspecifics, which like it in full sun. However, the soil should still be dry and well drained.
• Bock's restharrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. hircina): Also a subspecies of the Thorny Restharrow is the Bocks-Hauhechel, which also goes by the name Ononis arvensis and field restharrow is known. Among farmers it is considered a stubborn weed. The pink flowers give off a strong fragrance.

Planting and caring for restharrow

The Thorny Restharrow feels at home in sunny and dry locations. In order for the restharrow to thrive, the soil should be permeable, lean and humus-rich. A slightly loamy sand would be ideal. But even stony and gravelly ground doesn't bother the restharrow. It is best to add a nutrient-poor and loose soil to the existing garden soil to improve the site conditions for the restharrow. For example, ours is suitable for this Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil. The loose and airy structure makes it an ideal substrate for the restharrow. In addition, the soil contains some lime fertilizer, which is needed for good growth. If the garden soil is particularly heavy, it is advisable to add sand or expanded clay to ensure optimal drainage. This also applies to pot planting. Waterlogging is not tolerated by the restharrow. If the soil is rather acidic, you should provide the selected location with additional lime fertilizer to create optimal growth conditions.

The restharrow can be established either by sowing or by planting in the garden. Sowing takes place in autumn. It is better to sow too much than too little, because the chances of germinating next spring are not very high. However, some seeds may not germinate until the following year. The sowing should be kept evenly moist and the young plants should initially grow in semi-shade. Since sowing requires a little patience and finesse, restharrows are more commonly planted: from March to October, the young perennials are planted at a distance of 50 cm. Up to four copies can be accommodated in one square meter.

Tip: The restharrow is ideal for greening dry south-facing slopes.

Like other perennials, restharrow should be cut back to a few centimeters above the ground after the growing season. You can do this step in winter after the flowers have faded. However, it is advisable to wait until the beginning of March, because the small legumes of the restharrow serve as food for many birds over the winter.

Tip: Like all other legumes in the soil, the restharrow enters into a symbiosis with nodule bacteria and can thus fix nitrogen from the air. Therefore, it does not need additional fertilization. Make sure, however, that there is sufficient calcium in the soil.

Harvest, use and effect of restharrow

The thorny restharrow was already used as a medicinal plant by the ancient Romans. The strong taproot of the restharrow contains most of the ingredients. This can be dug up in late summer to autumn and then hung up to dry. Preparations from the restharrow root are considered diuretic. This means that water excretion via the kidneys is increased and harmful germs are excreted from the urinary system more quickly. Accordingly, for example, a tea made from restharrow root is used for bladder infections. For this, the finely chopped restharrow roots are poured over with boiling water. The container in which the infusion is prepared should be well covered to prevent the medicinally active ingredients from evaporating.

The kidneys clean our blood, which means that harmful substances are filtered out and the formation of new red blood cells is stimulated. Restharrow is used to improve kidney function. In naturopathy, blood purification and the associated detoxification have many positive effects Effects promised, among other things, a stimulation of digestion and an improvement in general Health.

The young shoots of the restharrow can be harvested from April to June, the leaves until October. The green has a mild taste and can be added to a salad, for example.

Danger: People who suffer from edema (water retention) caused by heart failure should avoid preparations made from the thorny restharrow!

For more shrubs that bees like restharrow, see our article on insect-friendly perennials and shrubs.