| Author | L. | |
| Distribution | Throughout the state, with some gaps.
Native of Europe; in N.A. throughout the U.S. and southern Canada. | |
| Abundance | Frequent to common on the Coastal Plain, uncommon to infrequent westward. | |
| Habitat | Roadsides, fields, lawns, campusus, clearings, disturbed ground. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting April-November. | |
| Identification | Alsike Clover is rather erect, and has to numerous stems, ranging up to 15 inches (or more) tall. The leaflets are narrowly to broadly elliptic. Heads are axillary, generally globular, petals white to dull white, or rosy, or bicolored. Generally speaking, it looks quite like White Clover (T. repens) but almost always with some heads having rose to pink flowers (as opposed to all with white heads). | |
| Taxonomic Comments | Trifolium is a large genus of some 240-250 species globally, mostly north-temperate zone. Most are readily recognized as a clover by their 3 broad leaflets and globular to hemispherical head of densely-packed flowers. Flowers vary from white to pink, and red; the hop clovers have tiny yellow flowers. Some species were introduced for their forage value for livestock, others hitched a ride with hay, packing material, etc. Our two native species -- T. carolinianum and T. reflexum -- have suffered great loss of habitat and are now rare. | |
| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE | |
| Global Rank | GNR | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FACU link |
| USACE-emp | FACU link |
