# Lesser hop trefoil (*Trifolium dubium*) The Lesser hop trefoil is a small, cheerful plant with bright yellow flowers. It grows close to the ground and is often found in grassy areas, making it a lovely sight for little explorers! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Lesser hop trefoil](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trifolium_dubium_kz1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trifolium_dubium_kz1.jpg) ## Appearance The Lesser hop trefoil is a small, low-growing plant with trifoliate leaves, often marked with a pale V. It has dense clusters of tiny, bright yellow, pea-like flowers that darken to brown as they mature. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Trifolium ## Interesting facts - Its small yellow flowers magically turn brown and papery as they get older! - Many cultures call it a "shamrock", which is a famous lucky symbol! - This tiny plant helps make soil super healthy for other plants to grow. - You can tell it apart because its middle leaf has a little stalk! ## Special abilities - **Soil Booster:** Lesser hop trefoil can team up with soil bacteria to 'fix' nitrogen, making the soil richer for other plants. - **Seed Bank Hero:** Lesser hop trefoil has many tiny seeds that can stay dormant in the soil for years, waiting to sprout. - **Rapid Colonizer:** Lesser hop trefoil can quickly establish itself in disturbed areas, covering bare ground with its growth. - **Self-Fertilizer:** Lesser hop trefoil can create its own seeds even without insect visitors, ensuring new plants grow. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-0.8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early autumn - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — important pollinator of its flowers - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — helps fix nitrogen in the soil - **Eaten by:** Domestic sheep (*Ovis aries*) — a common forage plant for grazing animals - **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — part of the diet for livestock in pastures ## 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. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick plants unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lesser hop trefoil? 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 Lesser hop trefoil? 10-30 cm ### How wide does Lesser hop trefoil spread? 10-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on Lesser hop trefoil? 0.5-0.8 cm ### When does Lesser hop trefoil bloom? Late spring to early autumn ### Is Lesser hop trefoil edible? Yes ### Is Lesser hop trefoil toxic? None ### What is Lesser hop trefoil's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Hakone Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hakone-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Jackson Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Old Faithful Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-faithful-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Schmitz Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schmitz-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Towers Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/towers-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Wesleyan Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wesleyan-grove) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District [View all places to see Lesser hop trefoil](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lesser-hop-trefoil) ## 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: [Lesser hop trefoil: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lesser-hop-trefoil)