Trifolium repens
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- try-FOH-lee-um REE-penz
- Description
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Trifolium repens, or Clover, is a prostrate, mat-forming herbaceous perennial about four to six inches tall and spreading 12 inches or more by stems that root freely. Known for its 3-leaflet pattern and white flower heads, it is commonly considered a lawn weed. Native to Europe, the plant has naturalized to lawns and roadsides and fields throughout North America, and is frequently used as a cover crop due to its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. It also provides good forage for livestock.
Easily grown from seed, Clover responds to mowing with aggressive growth and spreads aggressively by rooting at nodes forming mats up to 12 inches wide. It likes moist soil, sun to part shade. The white flowers protrude above the leaves and generally measure 4 to 6 inches tall.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
No serious diseases or insect problems. Clover is a host to 'clover rot' and should not be used too frequently as a cover crop.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Atropurpureum 'Dark Dancer'
- Atropurpureum 'Dark Dancer'
- Atropurpureum 'Dark Dancer'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Atropurpureum 'Dark Dancer'
- Atropurpureum 'Dark Dancer'
- Atropurpureum 'Dark Dancer'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Trifolium
- Species:
- repens
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- May be used as a cover crop to supply nitrogen and as erosion control in moist soils.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe
- Distribution:
- Throughout United States.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Clouded Sulfur (Colias philodice) larvae which appear from May to October in the North and from March to November in the South. There are 3 flights in the North and 4 to 5 flights in the South. Adult Clouded Sulfur butterflies feed on flower nectar from many different plants. Attractive to native and honey bees. Used as forage for livestock.
- Edibility:
- All parts are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Dried flowers used in tea, young leaves used in salads. The young leaves can also be used as a vegetable, cooked like spinach. Flowers and seed pods are dried, ground into powder and used as a flour or sprinkled on cooked foods. The dried leaves impart a vanilla flavor to cakes.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Prostrate
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Description:
- Four to six tiny seeds in a brown pod.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Long Bloom Season
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Globular, 1/2 inch white flowers with leaves on separate stems. The spherical to slightly egg-shaped flower heads consist of 40 to 100 florets.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Trifoliate (three-part), green leaves, sometimes with red or purplish tones or flecks of white, 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch long and half as wide. It has 3 leaflets joined in the center. Each leaflet is green with a white crescent in the center and a midrib crease. At the base of each petiole there are a pair of light green small lanceolate stipules.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- White
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- Yes
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Branching square stems with a creeping habit grow 4" to 12" long. They root at the stem nodes. Flowers bloom on 2 inch to 12 inch stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Erosion
- Foot Traffic
- Poor Soil
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Problems:
- Weedy
