alsike clover

not listed

SNA - Not applicable

SNA - Not applicable

not listed

FACU - Facultative upland

FACU - Facultative upland

FACU - Facultative upland

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 ⅜″ 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.

1′ to 2½′

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

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.

Disturbed sites

May to September

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 28.

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

The species 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.

Several of the Trifolium species that occur in Minnesota have had two or more subspecies and/or varieties described. For all of these species, the infrataxa are recognized by GRIN but not by ITIS or USDA PLANTS.

Two varieties of alsike clover have been described based mostly on growth form and branching pattern.

Habitat

Plant

Inflorescence

Flower Head

Flowers

Leaves

Leaf