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Trifolium hybridum - L.

Common Name Alsike Clover
Family Fabaceae or Leguminosae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Roadsides in Britain[17].
Range Europe. Naturalized in Britain[17].
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Full sun
Trifolium hybridum Alsike Clover


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Trifolium hybridum Alsike Clover
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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Trifolium hybridum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Trifolium elegans. Trifolium hybridum elegans

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves
Edible Uses: Tea

Leaves and flower heads - raw or cooked. Boiled, or after soaking for several hours in salty water[183]. A delightful and healthful tea is made from the dried flower heads[183]. They are usually mixed with other teas[183]. The dried flower heads and seeds can be ground into a nutritious flour[183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Galactogogue

A cold infusion of the plant has been used as a wash on the breasts of a nursing mother in order to increase the milk flow[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

Fodder

Dynamic accumulator.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Dynamic accumulator  Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Agroforestry Services: Understory legume  Fodder: Pasture  Management: Fodder  Management: Hay  Minor Global Crop

Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun[200]. Succeeds in poor soils. Closely related to T. repens[60]. It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better[201]. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias[201]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[201].

Carbon Farming

  • Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
  • Agroforestry Services: Understory legume  Legume vegetation, especially the trees and shrubs growing between the forest canopy and the forest floor.
  • Fodder: Pasture  Enclosed tracts of farmland mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants).
  • Management: Fodder  Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Management: Hay  Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Minor Global Crop  These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ. If the seed is in short supply it might be better to sow it in pots in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Division in spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Trifolium bifidumPiñole Clover, Notchleaf cloverAnnual0.5 0-0  LMHNM203
Trifolium ciliatumFoothill CloverAnnual0.5 0-0  LMHNM203
Trifolium cyathiferumCup CloverAnnual0.5 0-0  LMHNM102
Trifolium dichotomumBranched Indian CloverAnnual0.6 0-0  LMHNM202
Trifolium dubiumSuckling CloverAnnual0.5 0-0  LMHNM013
Trifolium fimbriatumSpringbank Clover, Cows cloverPerennial1.0 0-0  LMHNM302
Trifolium fucatumSour Clover, Bull cloverAnnual0.6 0-0  LMHNM202
Trifolium fucatum virescens Annual0.6 0-0  LMHNM202
Trifolium gracilentumPin-Point Clover, Palmer's cloverAnnual0.6 0-0  LMHNM202
Trifolium incarnatumCrimson CloverAnnual0.5 3-9 MLMHNM204
Trifolium lupinasterLupine cloverPerennial0.5 0-0  LMHNM102
Trifolium macrocephalumBighead Clover, Largehead cloverPerennial0.3 4-8  LMHNM103
Trifolium microcephalumSmallhead CloverAnnual0.6 -  LMHNM10 
Trifolium obtusiflorumClammy CloverAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHNM202
Trifolium ornithopodioidesBirdsfoot Fenugreek, Bird cloverAnnual/Perennial0.2 0-0  LMHNMWe103
Trifolium pratenseRed CloverPerennial0.6 5-9 MLMHNM334
Trifolium repensWhite Clover, Dutch Clover, Purple Dutch Clover, Shamrock, White CloverPerennial0.1 4-8 MLMHNM324
Trifolium subterraneumSubterranean CloverAnnual0.2 7-10  LMHNM104
Trifolium tridentatumTomcat CloverAnnual0.6 0-0  LMHNM202
Trifolium variegatumWhitetip CloverAnnual1.0 -  LMHNM10 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Botanical References

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