Red Clover – A Profile For History, Uses, Control

Red Clover is a biennial or short-lived perennial wildflower present in North America. Scientifically known as Trifolium pratense, it blooms pink hemispherical flowerheads in Spring and Summer for several weeks. Growing 18-30” tall in full sun and well-draining soil, its flowers feed pollinators, and foliage feeds a variety of animals.

Introduced to North America in the 1700’s, it’s true native range is Europe and North Africa. However, it is used in modern ways medicinally, and as a component of hay. Thus, it is cultivated as a crop, although it isn’t that common.

But here is the thing, even though this is an invasive species, it really isn’t that damaging. The thing is, our native deer and rabbits love to eat it, which helps keep it in check. So, if I happen to see one in my backyard microprairie – I try to pull it (which almost never gets the root), but I won’t put that much effort into eradicating it. The thing is, since deer/rabbits/livestock all consume it, it just never takes over. There are other invasive species near my that are much more worth my time to control!

It just so happens that Red Clover is one of the common plants that seems to find it’s way into every yard and garden at some point. Often considered a weed, you have probably encountered this plant at various times your whole life whether at a park, ballfield, roadside ditch, or your own backyard. In fact you may have found your way to this article because some plant identification app suggested it for ‘more reading’. But I have fond memories of sucking on the backs of the blossoms as a child where we knew them as ‘honeysuckle’, perhaps my first understanding that nectar was sweet.

Facts

• Colonists brought Red Clover to North America in the 1700’s
• Is used in traditional medicines, however the effectiveness is quite mixed.
• The leaves, stem, and flowers are highly palatable to livestock
• An aggressive seeder, this plant can be found nearly anywhere!
• Red Clover is a popular cover crop that can be used in soil building

Native Range

The primary native range of Red Clover is Eurasia. However, this plant has colonized nearly the entire continent!

Reference Table

Scientific Name	Trifolium pratense
Common Name(s)	Red Clover
Native Range, USDA Zone	Europe & North Africa, USDA Hardiness zones 3-9
Bloom Time	Spring, Summer
Bloom Duration, Color	8 weeks, pink
Height	9-36”
Spacing / Spread	12″
Light Requirements	Full sun to part-sun
Soil Types	Any texture
Moisture	Slightly dry to slightly moist
Fauna Associations / Larval Hosts	Bees, butterflies

Identification and Characteristics

Stalk

The stalk is round, light green, and hairy. Not always the most stout, you may find it leaning over along a roadside or in places with very fertile soil.

Leaf

The leaves of Red Clover are trifolate with each leaflet cordate (heart-shaped) to ovate in shape. They most often have a light colored chevron, which is a distinguishing characteristic.

Flower

Flowering from late Spring until Fall, hemispherical flowerheads with pink to red-purple tubular flowers will be at the end of the stalks.

Root

The root system of Red Clover is that of a taproot with fibrous lateral roots. These roots have the ability to fix nitrogen to the soil from the air, which allows Red Clover to always have access to this particular nutrient.

Growing Conditions

Red Clover will grow best in full sun but can tolerate part-shade as well. For moisture, it does well in slightly moist to slightly dry conditions. And for soil textures, it prefers well-draining sandy-loam to clay, as long as it drains well!

Wildlife associations

The flowers produce nectar which attract a variety of bees and butterflies. The leaves and stalk are palatable to most herbivores as well as livestock.

Is Red Clover aggressive?

Look, Red Clover is an invasive non-native weed to North America. And you will likely have the occasional plant pop up in your yard or flowerbed. But it would be a rare thing for this to ‘take over’ similar to other invasives like Garlic Mustard or Japanese Stiltgrass. Overall it just isn’t nearly as bad, and unlike most non-native species, this one will be readily eaten by herbivories which serves as a natural control.

Controlling Red Clover

If you have red clover popping up in your yard or gardens, there are several methods of control. If you have an isolated plant, then digging it out with a shovel or weeding tool can be effective. Do not just pull the plant, as it will likely just break off at the stem and resprout in a day or two.

For larger infestations, you can use a herbicide with 2-4-D. On a calm day spray the leaves using a mist. Clover leaves are notorious for shedding herbicides, so using smaller droplets of a mist can help the herbicide stick to the leaf. And just in case you don’t know, herbicides kill plants by being absorbed through the leaf.

Final Thoughts

Native to Europe and Africa, Red Clover is a biennial or short-lived perennial flower. It is one of those plants that while not native, does provide our local ecosystems with some value in terms of nectar for pollinators and forage for wildlife. It’s nitrogen fixing capabilities also give it some value to soil when used as a cover crop. So, while I may pull it if I see it, I won’t make as big an effort to eradicate it as I have with other invasive species.

Find more native plants here