Practical
Plants

Trifolium repens

White Clover

a perennial evergreen member of the Trifolium genus in the family Leguminosae.

White clover flower heads above three-part leaves
Trifolium repens (5154568317).jpg by Matt Lavin ·CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized for the web

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Growth rate
moderate
Height
0.1 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

This plant has been known to cause problems for grazing animals, though this has never happened in Britain[16]. The problem may be associated with the climate in which the plant is growing[16]. The species is polymorphic for cyanogenic glycosides[11]. The leaves and flowers of certain cyanogenic phenotypes contain a glycoside which releases cyanide on contact with the enzyme linamarase[11].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb[2][19][8]. The young leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower and are used in salads, soups etc[18]. They can also be used as a vegetable, cooked like spinach[18]. The leaves are best cooked[5]. Flowers and seed pods are dried, ground into powder and used as a flour or sprinkled on cooked foods such as boiled rice[8]. Very wholesome and nutritious[1]. The young flowers can also be used in salads[3][5][8]. Root - cooked[5][6]. The dried leaves impart a vanilla flavour to cakes etc[5]. Dried flowering heads are a tea substitute.

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea
Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is antirheumatic, antiscrophulatic, depurative, detergent and tonic[11]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of coughs, colds, fevers and leucorrhoea[13]. A tincture of the leaves is applied as an ointment to gout[11]. An infusion of the flowers has been used as an eyewash[13].

Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Antiscrophulatic
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Detergent
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant makes a good green manure, it is useful for over-wintering, especially in a mixture with Lolium perenne[17]. Produces a good bulk. It is a host to 'clover rot' however, so should not be used too frequently[17]. It can be undersown with cereals or with tomatoes in a greenhouse (sow the seed before planting the tomatoes)[17]. Fairly deep rooting but not very fast growing[17]. A good fast ground-cover plant for a sunny position[17].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Green manure

Ground cover

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norwat south and east to N. Africa, north and western Asia.
Habitat
Grassland and lawns, preferring a calcareous clay soil[18][4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ. If the seed is in short supply it might be better to sow it in pots in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring. Division in spring[12].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun, preferring a sweet calcareous clay soil. Succeeds in poor soils. A very important food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species[14] it is also a good bee plant[15]. A good companion plant in the lawn, tolerating trampling[7][15], but it dislikes growing with henbane or members of the buttercup family[7]. It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better[10]. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias[10]. Polymorphic, there are many subspecies and varieties. Some varieties have also been selected for use in lawn mixes[8]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[9]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[10].

References

  1. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩

  2. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

  3. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

    ↩

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  5. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  7. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  10. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  13. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  14. Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-330-26642-x

    ↩

  15. Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-584-10141-4

    ↩1↩2

  16. Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291

    ↩1↩2

  17. Woodward. L. Burge. P. Green Manures. Elm Farm Research Centre. 1982-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  18. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  19. Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962-00-00 ISBN 0-911010-54-8

    ↩

Edit this page