alsike clover

(Trifolium hybridum)

Conservation Status
alsike clover
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

SNA - No Status Rank

SNA - No Status Rank

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Alsike clover is a creeping, perennial forb that rises on multiple stems from a taproot.

The stems are light green and hairless or nearly hairless. They tend to fall over with age, usually from rain or wind, but do not root at the nodes.

The leaves are alternate and compound, divided into 3 leaflets. They are on long, hairless leaf stalks. The leaflets are elliptical, hairless, and to ¾ long and wide. They have no markings on the upper surface and are not notched or pointed at the tip. The margins are finely-toothed.

The inflorescence is several globular, head-like clusters borne on hairless stalks rising from the upper leaf axils. The flower heads are ½ to ¾ across. Each head has up to 50 flowers.

The flowers are pea-like, with 5 petals organized into a banner, 2 wings, and a keel formed by two petals fused together at the tip. Each individual flower is borne on a short stalk. The petals are white or pale pink to pinkish-white. They gradually turn darker pink as they mature. Later they turn brown.

The fruit is a seed pod.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

1 to 2½

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Pale pink to pinkish-white, turning dark pink to almost red.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) stems are densely hairy. The petals are crimson red.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) stems are hairy. The leaflets have a pale V-shaped marking on the upper surface. The petals are pink or magenta. The individual flowers are stalkless.

White clover (Trifolium repens) is a much smaller plant, 4 to 10 tall. The stems are creeping, not ascending, and they root at the nodes. Flowers and leaves are borne on separate stalks. The leaflets have have a pale, crescent-shaped marking on the upper surface and may be notched at the tip. The flower heads are more white.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Disturbed sites

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

May to September

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  1/13/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native to Europe, western Asia, the Caucasus, and Morocco. Introduced and naturalized in North America.

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Rosanae  
 

Order

Fabales (legumes, milkworts, and allies)  
 

Family

Fabaceae (legumes)  
  Subfamily Faboideae  
  Tribe

Trifolieae

 
  Genus Trifolium (clovers)  
  Subgenus Trifolium  
  Section Vesicastrum  
       
 

Subfamily
Papilionoideae is an acceptable alternative name for the family Faboideae. Most sources use Faboideae.

Species epithet
The species name (epithet) hybridum means “hybrid”. When Carl Linnaeus first described this species he thought it was a hybrid between Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and white clover (Trifolium repens). He was mistaken.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum var. anatolicum)

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum var. elegans)

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum var. hybridum)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Amoria elegans

Amoria hybrida

Trifolium elegans

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

alsike

alsike clover

hybrid clover

Swedish clover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Alfredo Colon

 
    alsike clover      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Habitat

 
    alsike clover   alsike clover  
           
 

Plant

 
    alsike clover      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    alsike clover      
           
 

Flower Head

 
    alsike clover   alsike clover  
           
 

Flowers

 
    alsike clover   alsike clover  
           
 

Leaves

 
    alsike clover      
           
 

Leaf

 
    alsike clover      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Trifolium hybridum
Matt Lavin
 
  Trifolium hybridum  
 
About

Introduced perennial herb, stems ascending, usually much less than 0.5 m tall, leaflets serrate at least distally, terminal leaflet sessile like the lateral leaflets (which is true of all Trifolium species), flowering peduncles about 15-25 mm long, pod 1-few-seeded, inconspicuous and concealed by the calyx, fruiting head retains the faded dry petals (which is true of all Trifolium species), common in mountain big sagebrush steppe where well grazed and roadsides in open montane understory. Similar to Trifolium repens, which usually has whitish petals and flowering heads that arise from axils of prostrate stems.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  Alsike Clover
purduebeefteam
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Feb 8, 2012

Alsike Clover

   
  Clover Identification - Thistle Ridge Stables http://www.ThistleRidgeStables.com
Laura Kelland-May
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 6, 2011

Knowing the difference between difference types of clovers could save your horse's life. Learn how to identify white, red and alsike clover.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Alfredo Colon
8/17/2022

Location: Albany, NY

alsike clover  
           
 
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