# tomcat clover (*Trifolium willdenovii*) Tomcat clover is a small, cheerful plant with bright green leaves and lovely little flowers. It grows in fields and meadows, making the world a prettier place! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![tomcat clover](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trifoliumwilldenovii.jpg&width=800) Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trifoliumwilldenovii.jpg) ## Appearance The tomcat clover has distinct, dense flower heads that appear round and fuzzy, ranging in color from pinkish-purple to creamy white. Its leaves are composed of three heart-shaped leaflets, often with a lighter marking in the center, growing on hairy stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Trifolium ## Interesting facts - Early Native Americans sometimes ate its fresh leaves and flower heads! - Its leaves can fold up at night, like they're going to sleep for the evening! - The 'tomcat' name comes from the bristly, shaggy hairs on its flower heads! - This clover is part of the amazing pea family, making it related to beans! ## Special abilities - **Soil Power-Up:** Tomcat clover can work with tiny soil bacteria to add nitrogen, which acts like a fertilizer that helps other plants grow strong. - **Weed Blocker:** Tomcat clover has a dense, sprawling growth habit that helps it cover the ground, making it harder for unwanted weeds to sprout. - **Drought Survivor:** Tomcat clover can quickly grow and complete its life cycle during wet periods, allowing it to survive in dry environments. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-50 cm - **Spread:** 15-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Mid-Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Symbiotic with:** Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — Forms root nodules to convert nitrogen. - **Eaten by:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse on its nutritious leaves and stems. - **Eaten by:** Edith's checkerspot butterfly (*Euphydryas editha*) — Caterpillars feed on clover 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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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 check with an adult before touching or picking plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify tomcat 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 tomcat clover? 10-50 cm ### How wide does tomcat clover spread? 15-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on tomcat clover? 1-2 cm ### When does tomcat clover bloom? Spring to Mid-Summer ### Is tomcat clover edible? Yes ### Is tomcat clover toxic? None ### What is tomcat clover's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jasper-ridge-biological-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Lake Oroville State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-oroville-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Sabine Channel Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sabine-channel-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Agate Desert](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/agate-desert) — Oregon, US · Nature Reserve - [Audubon Canyon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-canyon) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [El Sereno Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/el-sereno-open-space) — California, US · Park [View all places to see tomcat clover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/tomcat-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: [Tomcat Clover: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tomcat-clover)