Trifolium Species, Red Clover

Red clover was a valuable early hay crop in my youth. Not only was it great for hay, it improved the soil for subsequent crops. In the da...Read Moreys of crop, (rotation, corn, small grain, hay, hay). it was quite valuable. It only last about two years so not good for a permanent hayfield.

Red Clover ,Trifolium pratense, is Naturalized in Texas and other States.

Flowers formally smoked in antiasthma cigarettes
Red clover extracts produced in Australia,sold in USA.One tablet contains 40 mg. ...Read Moreof photoestrogens,8 times the amount consumed by Americans.
Fall or late cut hay can cause slobbering or frothing in cattle and horses
Now being studied for AIDS and antidiabetic activity

In Newfoundland we occasionally come across the white form of this species, it has the tall habit and the three leaves right under the fl...Read Moreowers which are some of the features of Red Clover, T. pretense, which distinguish it from true White Clover, T. repens, which is creeping, as its Latin name suggests, and has no leaves on the peduncle. The picture I've submitted was taken on Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, in late July 2004. (I'm still looking for the red form of White Clover!) I doubt whether this form really has much garden merit though.

A common roadside plant,but very attractive and useful.

Wonderful for animal forage,high in nutrients.Attractive to bees a...Read Morend butterflies.

I wouldn't consider this a common garden flower,but it has it's place in a naturalized setting,or wildflower mass. Great for fixing nitrogen in soil.