White Clover

Scientific Name:

Trifolium repens

White Clover flower-head
Photo: A J Brown

Status:

Native to Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa.

Plant Description:

Perennial herb with a prostrate habit. Stems rhizomatous, 10-30 cm long, hairless, rooting at the nodes. Leaves are trifoliate with broad-obovate to orbicular leaflets, 6-40 mm long and 10-30 mm wide, hairless, prominently veined and often with a pale crescent shaped marking on the upper surface. Stipules (leaf-like structures at the base of the leaf and flower-stalks) membranous.

Flowers white or sometimes yellowish or pinkish, with more than 20 flowers, in globular heads, 15-35 mm diameter, the lower florets becoming deflexed with maturity.

Habitat:

Widespread and commonly sown species pastures in the cooler and wetter parts of Victoria or as a component of irrigated pastures in Northern Victoria. Also found as a weed in lawns, cultivated areas and waste ground. Indicative of fresh-water habitats and has some waterlogging tolerance.

Region	Salinity Class	Waterlogging Class
Loddon Murray, Central and Northern, Wimmera, Western, Gippsland	S0	W0, W1, W2

Comments:

A number of different cultivars of White Clover have been developed for pasture situations. Other clovers, with a perennial habit, include Strawberry Clover (Trifolium fragiferum and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense). Annual clovers may also occur in similar habitats (see Key to common annual clovers).

White Clover photos

Maturing flower-head of White Clover Photo: A J Brown	Mature flower-head of White Clover Photo: A J Brown
Leaves of White Clover Photo: A J Brown	White Clover flower-heads Photo: A J Brown
White Clover leaf Photo: A J Brown	White Clover flower-heads Photo: A J Brown

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