White Clover

White clover is a creeping perennial with three-part leaves and rounded heads of white flowers. It is also known as Dutch clover and shamrock. It roots at its stems and forms mats up to about 12 inches (30 cm) wide. The plant is native to Europe and has spread across North America, where it is often found in lawns and roadsides. Its flowers feed bees and butterflies, and clouded sulphur larvae feed on the leaves.

Sowing. Sow the seed on a firm seedbed and cover it no deeper than ¼ inch (6 mm). The plant is easy to grow from seed. In pastures, some growers seed it into existing grass in early spring while the soil is still frozen. In a lawn or garden, establishment after removing the old turf is done in spring or late fall.

Light and soil. It grows in full sun, with 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, or in partial shade with 2 to 6 hours of direct sun. It likes moist soil and grows best in well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of about 6 to 7. It will grow, but may not flower, in some shady spots.

Varieties. Ladino and Regal have taller leaf stems than other types, and small types with names like ‘wild white’ stay lower.

Mowing. It responds to mowing with vigorous growth. It can be mowed down to about 3 inches (7.6 cm), which encourages it to spread.

Feeding. Its presence in a lawn often points to low nitrogen in the soil. Because it takes nitrogen from the air and releases it into the soil, it lessens the need for fertilizer.

No serious diseases or insect problems are listed, though it can host clover rot. It is commonly considered a lawn weed. Broadleaf weed killers containing 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba or triclopyr give good control, and fall applications work better than late spring or summer ones. If you use dicamba, don’t spray it over the root zone of trees and shrubs. Hand pulling can slow its spread, but complete removal from a lawn is not practical. Because it is naturally invasive, it often needs firm limits on where it can spread.

All parts of the plant are listed as edible. Dried flowers can be used in tea, young leaves can be added to salads or cooked like spinach, and dried flowers and seed pods can be ground into a powder used as flour.