Red Clover, Trifolium pratense L., Naturalized Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

A common plant of fields and roadsides, Red Clover has a magenta stalk-less flower head with alternate divided 3-part leaflets that have a blunt oval shape on the long-stalked larger lower leaves; a more lance-like shape on the upper leaves, which are stalkless or with short stalks - all leaves with hairy edges. Plant height is usually around one foot but some varieties can reach to 30". It grows as a biennial or a short-liver perennial. Unlike the White Clover, it is an erect plant. It was introduced to the United States for livestock food and it's primary use is for hay and silage. As a cover crop it is used for soil improvement as it is a member of the pea family.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Red Clover	Trifolium pratense L.	Pea (Fabaceae)	Upland	Late Spring to Late Summer
Other names and notes	A common plant of fields and roadsides, Red Clover has a magenta stalk-less flower head with alternate divided 3-part leaflets that have a blunt oval shape on the long-stalked larger lower leaves; a more lance-like shape on the upper leaves, which are stalkless or with short stalks - all leaves with hairy edges. Plant height is usually around one foot but some varieties can reach to 30". It grows as a biennial or a short-liver perennial. Unlike the White Clover, it is an erect plant. It was introduced to the United States for livestock food and it's primary use is for hay and silage. As a cover crop it is used for soil improvement as it is a member of the pea family.