# white clover (*Trifolium repens*) White clover is a small plant with round, green leaves and pretty white flowers. It's often found in grassy areas and is loved by bees and butterflies! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 158 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Dutch clover, Lawn clover ![white clover](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/392307241/medium.jpeg) Photo: Tom Norton, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/392307241) ## Appearance The white clover is a low-growing plant with distinctive three-part green leaves, often marked with a pale V-shape. Its small, white, pea-like flowers grow in dense, spherical clusters that dot lawns and fields. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Trifolium ## Interesting facts - Ancient Celts believed clover could keep bad spirits away! - Clover provides vital food for many grazing animals worldwide! - Four-leaf clovers are super rare mutations, said to bring good luck! - Its leaves fold up at night, as if they are going to sleep! ## Special abilities - **Soil Enricher:** white clover can capture nitrogen from the air, making the soil richer for itself and other plants. - **Ground Hugger:** white clover has creeping stems that root as they grow, helping it spread quickly and cover bare ground. - **Thirst Quencher:** white clover can survive dry periods by going dormant and bouncing back when rain returns. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — bees collect nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Eaten by:** [cow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cow) (*Bos taurus*) — cows graze on its nutritious leaves and stems. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — bacteria help fix nitrogen in its roots. - **Pollinates:** buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — bumblebees are important pollinators of clover flowers. ## 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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify white 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 white clover? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on white clover? 1-2 cm ### When does white clover bloom? Late spring to fall ### Is white clover edible? Yes ### Is white clover toxic? Mild ### What is white clover's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is white clover pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Advance Mills](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/advance-mills) — Virginia, US · Neighborhood - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Americus Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/americus-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Anderson University](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-university) — South Carolina, US · Campus [View all places to see white clover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-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: [White Clover: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-clover)