Plant · GBIF taxon 5358748
White Clover
Trifolium repensAlso known as Dutch Clover, Ladino Clover, White Trefoil, Creeping Clover
White clover spreads low across lawns, pastures, and fields via horizontal stems called stolons, rooting at the nodes to form dense green mats. Its signature spherical flower heads consist of dozens of small white to pinkish florets that draw honeybees, bumblebees, and other pollinators throughout spring and summer. Through a symbiotic partnership with soil bacteria in its root nodules, this plant fixes atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the surrounding soil for neighboring vegetation.
FloweringPerennialNitrogen Fixer
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation)
Predators
- Grazing Livestock
- Rabbits
- Caterpillars
ThreatsHerbicides, aggressive turf management
HabitatsLawns, pastures, meadows, roadsides, disturbed soils
Life spanPerennial (individual clones can live for decades)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderFabales
- FamilyFabaceae
- GenusTrifolium
- SpeciesTrifolium repens
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe; watch for foraging honeybees when walking barefoot on clover lawns.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Look closely at leaf leaflets to spot rare four-leaf mutations caused by genetic variance.
- Lawn Care: Leave clover patches uncut to feed native bees and naturally fertilize the surrounding grass.
- Soil Health: Dig near roots to see tiny nodules housing nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria.
Pollinator Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Competitor (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative "Red Clover" by randihausken is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Sheri Hagwood / Public domain · cc0
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