Red Clover
Trifolium pratense
Other names: Cowgrass
Family: Fabaceae
Range: Throughout North America
Native: Introduced
Native Habitat: Grasslands, woodlands, forest edges, waste areas.
Bloom Time: Summer
Notes:
Native to Europe, Western Asia and Northwest Africa.
It’s widely used as a fodder crop, and since it fixes nitrogen, as a green manure. (This is why it was introduced to North America.) In fact, other plants that are this widespread would probably be considered invasive, but it’s such an important crop, that’s not the case here.
There are a number of traditional medical uses in several cultures. (This needs to be googled to be fully experienced.) I always enjoyed tasting the nectar in the flowers when I was young.
The leaves have white chevrons, which is an easy way to tell it apart from other clover. There is a white form of this clover, but the leaves keep that distinct from true white clover (which we also have around here.)
It’s the national flower of Denmark, and the state flower of Vermont.
Locations in Photos:
Two Lights State Park, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Gilsland Farm, Maine Audubon, Falmouth, ME
Mackworth Island State Park, Falmouth, ME
Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Crawford Notch State Park, Hart’s Location, NH
Scarborough Marsh, Scarborough, ME
My father’s garden, Ellsworth, ME
Resources:
Wikipedia
The Botanist – My favorite link, from a distillery on Islay, in Scotland.
3/12/23 – Updated to current WordPress format.