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White Clover

©Philip Precey

White clover

A familiar 'weed' of gardens, roadsides, meadows and parks, White clover is famous for its trefoil leaves - look out for a lucky four-leaf clover in your own garden!

Scientific name

Trifolium repens

When to see

May to October

Species information

Category

Statistics

Height: up to 40cm
Common.

About

White clover is a very common plant of all kinds of grassy areas in the UK, from lawns to pastures, roadsides to meadows, as both a wild and sown flower. The famous trefoil leaves are collected by Wood Mice and are one of the foodplants of the common blue butterfly; the flowers appear from May to October and are sought after by all kinds of bumblebees.

How to identify

Most white clover leaves have the familiar trefoil look with three green leaflets, often bearing white markings. The white, sometimes pinkish, flowers have rounded heads.

Distribution

Widespread.

Did you know?

There are clover farms in the USA that specialise in growing four-leaf clovers which they harvest and sell as good luck charms.