A familiar 'weed' of gardens, roadsides, meadows and parks, red clover has trefoil leaves and red, rounded flower heads. It is often used as fodder for livestock.
Species information
Statistics
Height: up to 40cm
Conservation status
Common.
When to see
May to October
About
Red clover is a common plant of all kinds of grassy areas in the UK, from lawns to pastures, roadsides to meadows. It is sown as a fodder crop for livestock and has long been used in crop rotation systems because of its ability to fix nitrogen, enriching soils. The trefoil leaves are collected by wood mice and the flowers, which appear from May to October, are sought after by all kinds of bumblebees for their nectar.
How to identify
Like other clovers, the leaves of red clover have the familiar trefoil look with three green leaflets each bearing a white V-shaped marking. The pinky-red flowers are borne in rounded heads.