Trifolium pratense L.

Pink clover, red clover

Some common clovers

	You are here Trifolium pratense	Trifolium repens	Trifolium hybridum
Common Name	pink clover	white clover	alsike clover
Plant	8–31″ (20–80 cm) tall, multiply branched, often partially lying down. Stems are sometimes purplish and sometimes hairy.	Plant stems are 4–16″ (10–40 cm) long, but often lying on their sides, so these clovers are usually close to the ground	1–2′ (30–60 cm) tall, typically somewhat smaller than red clover and larger than white clover. It has multiple hairless, fairly flexible stems
Leaves	Trifoliate. Leaflets are ⅜–2½ ⨉ ⅜–1½″ (1–7 ⨉ 1–4 cm), with a distinctive pale green crescent or chevron on the outer half of the leaf. They vary from roundish to an elongated oval.	In groups of 3. Leaflets are oval, ½–1¼″ (1.3–3.2 cm) long, with a slight indentation at the end. Each leaflet has a pale green "V" close to the base and slightly toothed leaf edges	In groups of three, each about ¾″ (2 cm) long, and attached directly to the stem that supports the leaf cluster. Leaves are oval-shaped, with smooth-appearing edges that have tiny teeth, and no chevrons
Flowers	Pink to rose (rarely white). Flowerheads are about ¾″ (1.9 cm) around. Flowers smell like honey. Flowers appear from late spring to midsummer.	On flower stalks 1–4″ (2.5–10 cm) long. Flowerheads are ½–1¼″ (1.3–3.2 cm) around, rounded, white, sometimes pinkish	½–¾″ (1.3–1.9 cm) around, and may be pink on the bottom, grading to white on the top; or pink throughout. The shade of pink is lighter than with red clover
Fruit	Each individual flower in the flowerhead is replaced by a small seedpod containing 1 or 2 heart-shaped seeds.		Dry capsules 1/16–⅛″ (3–4 mm) long.
Range/ Zones		USDA Zones: 3-10
Habitats	Fields, pastures, meadows, waste areas, and along roadsides.	Waste ground, pastures, open fields, roadsides, railroads	Moist meadows near woodlands, pastures, abandoned fields, and roadsides

	Trifolium incarnatum
Common Name	crimson clover
Plant	1½′ (50 cm) high.
Leaves	Leaves are round or oval, in groups of three, each roughly at right angles to the others.
Flowers	Deep red, forming rounded conical flowerheads about 1″ (2.5 cm) tall and ⅝″ (1.7 cm) around. Flowering occurs during April to May.
Fruit	Small seedpods about ⅛″ (4 mm) in length), ovoid in shape, and slightly flattened, containing seeds that are 1/16″ (2.5 mm) in size.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Cropland, fallow fields, roadsides, disturbed habitats, and lawns.

Trifolium pratense description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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