Plant Guide

Pollinators: Honeybees and other insects cross-pollinate

WHITE CLOVER the flowers as they collect nectar and pollen.
Trifolium repens L. Status Consult the PLANTS Web site and your State
Plant Symbol = TRRE3 Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current
status (e.g. wetland indicator values).
Contributed by: Idaho Plant Materials Program
Weediness
This plant may become weedy or invasive in some
regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation
if not properly managed. Consult your local NRCS Field
Office, Cooperative Extension Service office, or state
natural resource or agriculture department regarding its
status and use. Weed information is also available from
the PLANTS Web site at [Link].

Description
Trifolium repens, white clover, is a perennial legume that
originated in Europe and has become one of the most
widely distributed legumes in the world. It generally has
a prostrate, stoloniferous growth habit. The leaves are
composed of three leaflets, which may or may not have a
Uses “crescent” or “water mark” on the upper surface. Leaves
Forage: White clover is one of the most important pasture and roots develop along stolons at nodes.
legumes. It is highly palatable and nutritious forage for
all classes of livestock and most wildlife. White clover is The flower heads, each consisting of 40 to 100 florets, are
commonly planted with orchardgrass, ryegrass, borne on long stalks from the leaf axils. Florets are white
bromegrass, or tall fescue. ‘Ladino’ white clover planted but may have a pink hue.
with orchardgrass produces the premier forage
combination for intensive grazing systems in the Adaptation and Distribution
Northeast. ‘Ladino’ grows tall enough to be harvested for White clover thrives best in a cool, moist climate in soils
hay, silage, and green chop. Common white clover with ample lime, phosphate, and potash. In general, white
seldom grows tall enough to be harvested for hay or clover is best adapted to clay and silt soils in humid and
silage. irrigated areas. It grows successfully on sandy soils with
a high water table or irrigated droughty soils when
Beautification: White clover is seeded at 2 pounds per adequately fertilized. White clover seldom roots deeper
acre with grass for stabilization on moist soils. On dry than 2 feet, which makes it adapted to shallow soils when
sites it usually establishes only on wet or moist areas. adequate moisture is available. Dry soils limit
establishment and persistence of white clover. Lack of
Wildlife: White clover is an excellent forage plant for winter hardiness also limits the use of white clover in
wildlife. Leaves are grazed by white-footed voles, bears, areas that have cold winters and lack of snow cover.
moose, mule and white-tailed deer and blue grouse.
Seeds are eaten by northern bobwhite, bufflehead, White clover has a circumboreal distribution. It was
American coot, sage grouse, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed introduced to North America from Europe and has
grouse, horned lark, mallard, gray partridge, greater naturalized throughout Canada and the United States,
prairie chicken, willow ptarmigan, American pintail, including Hawaii and Alaska. For a current distribution
California quail and American robin. map, consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the
PLANTS Website.
Erosion control: Grass seedings benefit from the nitrogen
produced by white clover included in the seed mixture. Establishment White clover has approximately 776,000
Solid stands of white clover form a good erosion control seeds per pound. The full seeding rate is 4 pounds PLS
cover on moist fertile soils, but stands may be sparse or per acre for a solid stand. The recommended seeding rate
spotty on dry sites. for a grass/legume pasture is 25 percent or 1 pound PLS
per acre. For pasture establishment, seed is drilled into a
well-prepared seedbed that has been plowed, harrowed,
and compacted to produce a firm seedbed. The seed Spring applications of nitrogen will stimulate grass and
should be inoculated with the correct Rhizobium before provide early feed, but excessive rates are detrimental to
seeding. Seeding depth should be 1/8 - 1/4 inch deep. the clover stand. Phosphate applications are broadcast in
Typically, in grass/legume mixtures, the grass is drill fall or spring according to soil tests. Sulfur, boron, or
seeded in rows and white clover is over seeded to limit magnesium may be needed for maximum production on
competition from grass. For stabilization use, seed is some soils in the western part of white clover’s range.
broadcast on roadside cuts and fills by cyclone seeders,
hydroseeders, or blower-type equipment. Pests and Potential Problems Disease and insect pests of
white clover vary with the location, cultural practices and
The proper time of seeding is determined by seasonal and use of white clover and vary among and during the
moisture conditions. In most areas, this may vary from growing season. White clover is susceptible to leaf
early April to mid May. Late summer and fall seedings diseases, root and stolon diseases, nematodes, viral
should only be conducted when site is irrigated and when diseases, insects, spider mites and slugs. Practical control
at least six weeks of growing season remain to assure of many plant diseases can be accomplished by harvesting
establishment before freezing conditions. to remove disease inoculum and planting disease resistant
cultivars. Judicious grazing management combined with
Management White clover is normally used as a chemical control can limit damage from insects, spider
companion crop with forage grasses (smooth brome, mites and slugs.
meadow brome, timothy, ryegrass or orchardgrass) to
provide a source of nitrogen while also providing high- Environmental Concerns White clover spreads by both
yielding forage rich in protein. In the southeastern United seed and stolons and is considered weedy in some
States, grass forages grown with white clover average as locations. It can spread into adjoining vegetative
high or higher than grass (by itself) fertilized at nitrogen communities under ideal climatic and environmental
rates up to 300 pounds per acre. Including white clover in conditions.
a grass forage mix also increases the calcium
concentration of the forage compared to grass alone. Seed Production
Plant white clover seed at 1 to 3 pounds PLS per acre in
When seed is properly inoculated at time of planting, 20 to 24 inch rows. To facilitate seed production and
white clover can fix nitrogen from N2 in the atmosphere, between-row weed control, it is desirable to plant white
requiring little or no additional nitrogen fertilizer. clover in spaced rows instead of solid stands.
However, it requires relatively large amounts of
phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, and will respond to Most of the seed production of white clover occurs in
these fertilizer applications. In grass-legume mixtures, it California. Average seed yields are about 300 pounds per
is not possible to supply the ideal combinations of acre but yields can easily be doubled by using proper
elements for both grass and legume. If nitrogen is applied production practices. Time and frequency of irrigation is
to a grass-legume mixture, the grass will tend to increase critical as white clover can lodge easily. Irrigation should
at the expense of the be stopped when the degree of bloom and seedhead
legume. Well-fertilized grass will outgrow clover in fall maturity is maximized. Honeybees are essential for seed
and winter and could smother the clover. production. Hives should be placed at the rate of 7-24
hives per acre to maximize pollination and seed yield.
Management for forage is aimed at maintaining 40% to
50% clover. Close grazing (2 inch stubble height) favors Seed is usually harvested by swathing to allow the seed to
clover, whereas light grazing favors grass. White clover complete maturity and dry followed by combining. Spray
should be rotationally grazed. In order to use white curing windrows with a chemical defoliant followed by
clover as a protein and energy supplement on small direct combining is also used and can be quite efficient.
acreages, livestock should be allowed to graze only 1 to 2
hours each day. This will allow for optimum utilization Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area
of the white clover pasture. In a continuous grazing of origin)
system, graze white clover when it reaches 6 inches and The three general types of white clover usually
to a minimum of 2 inches at intervals of 15-30 days. recognized are (1) large, (2) intermediate, and (3) small.
White clover has medium to high bloat potential when Large type: ‘Ladino’ is the recommended cultivar of the
grazed. It usually is recommended as a mixture with one large type. It is two to four times as large as common
or more grasses for pasture. Crude protein ranges from white clover. It is very well suited to the Northwest
12 to 23%, acid detergent fiber from 24 to 32% and total interior areas away from the coast. It will winter kill
digestible nutrients from 70 to 80% depending on the under dry winter conditions, and is susceptible to slug
amount of white clover present in the grass/legume damage. It requires a high soil phosphate level and good
mixture.
management for maximum production. ‘Pilgrim’ and Ogle, D., L. St. John, J, Cornwell, M. Stannard, and L.
‘Merit’ have been developed for winter hardiness. Holzworth. 2008. Pasture and Range Seedings:
Planning, Installation, Evaluation, Management.
Intermediate type: ‘Grassland Huia’ is representative of Natural Resources Conservation Service. Boise,
the intermediate type. It was formerly designated ‘New Idaho. Idaho Plant Materials Technical Note 10. 36 p.
Zealand’. It is very well adapted to locations along the Oregon Clover Seed Production.
coast and interior areas where slugs are a problem. [Link] [2008,
November 25].
Small type: “New York’ wild white clover is an example Shewmaker, Glenn. 2005. Idaho Forage Handbook.
of the small type, which is adapted to higher elevations University of Idaho. 99 p.
and colder areas. It is the most drought-resistant type. It is
very persistent in pastures, withstands close grazing, and Prepared By
is the least productive of the white clovers. ‘Kent Wild’ Loren St. John, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center,
white clover is also a small type. Aberdeen, ID

White clover seed is available from most commercial seed Dan Ogle, USDA NRCS Idaho State Office, Boise, ID
vendors.
Species Coordinator: Loren St. John, USDA NRCS
Control Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID
Please contact your local agricultural extension specialist
or county weed specialist to learn what works best in your
area and how to use it safely. Always read label and Citation
safety instructions for each control method. Trade names Ogle, D., St. John, L. 2008. Plant Guide for white clover
and control measures appear in this document only to (Trifolium repens L.). USDA-Natural Resources
provide specific information. USDA, NRCS does not Conservation Service, Idaho Plant Materials Center,
guarantee or warranty the products and control methods Aberdeen, Idaho 83210.
named, and other products may be equally effective.
Published January, 2009
References
Carlson, G.E., Gibson, P.B. and D.D. Baltensperger. Edited: 1Dec2008 LWS; 1Dec2008 DGO; 2Dec2008 JSP
1985. White Clover and other perennial clovers.
Chapter 13. In: Forages: The Science of Grassland For more information about this and other plants, please
Agriculture. Iowa State University Press. 643 p. contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation
Coladonato, Milo. 1993. Trifolium repens. In: Fire Effects District at [Link] and visit the
Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of PLANTS Web site at [Link] or the Plant
Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Materials Program Web site [Link]
Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory [Link].
(Producer). [Link] [2008,
November 20]. PLANTS is not responsible for the content or availability
Jensen, Kevin et al. 2004 Intermountain Planting Guide. of other Web sites.
Pg 82. Mississippi State University. Forages: White
Ladino Clover.
[Link]
[Link] [2008, November 20].
Ogle, D., L. St. John, M. Stannard, and L. Holzworth.
2008. Grass, grass-like, forb, legume and woody
species for the Intermountain West. Natural
Resources Conservation Service. Boise, Idaho. Idaho
Plant Materials Technical Note 24. 43 p.

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