# Alsike clover (*Trifolium hybridum*) Alsike clover is a lovely plant with small, round leaves and pretty pink flowers. It grows in fields and meadows, making the world a little brighter and helping bees and butterflies. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Alsike clover](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trifolium_hybridum_inflorescence_-_Keila.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trifolium_hybridum_inflorescence_-_Keila.jpg) ## Appearance The Alsike clover has soft, globe-shaped flower heads that bloom in a beautiful mix of white and pink, often deepening to rose as they mature. Its distinctive leaves are trifoliate, meaning three leaflets, typically with a pale green V-mark on each. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Trifolium ## Interesting facts - Although called clover, it's actually a natural hybrid of two other Trifolium species. - Bees absolutely adore its sweet nectar, making it a busy bee hangout! - It's named after a village in Sweden where it was first widely grown centuries ago! - Its beautiful flowers change color from white to pink as they get older! ## Special abilities - **Soil Supercharger:** Alsike clover has special root nodules that grab nitrogen from the air, making the soil richer for other plants to grow. - **Resilient Rooter:** Alsike clover can thrive in tough, wet, or heavy clay soils where many other plants struggle, helping it survive anywhere. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-60 cm - **Spread:** 20-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Western honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen for honey - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — attracted to its abundant flowers - **Symbiotic with:** Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — lives in root nodules, converts nitrogen - **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — grazes on its nutritious leaves ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before picking plants, as some may not be safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Alsike clover? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Alsike clover? 30-60 cm ### How wide does Alsike clover spread? 20-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on Alsike clover? 1-2 cm ### When does Alsike clover bloom? Summer ### Is Alsike clover edible? Yes ### Is Alsike clover toxic? Mild ### What is Alsike clover's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [East Windsor Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-windsor-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Mill Creek Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mill-creek-park) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve - [Peebles Island State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peebles-island-state-park) — New York, US · State Park - [Furnace Brook Parkway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/furnace-brook-parkway) — Massachusetts, US · Park - [Garden of the Gods](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garden-of-the-gods) — Colorado, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Alsike clover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/alsike-clover) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Alsike clover: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alsike-clover)