Leaf
Julie GADOIS, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
White clover
Trifolium repens L.
Also known as: Dutch clover
Family: Fabaceae
10 to 20 cm (creeping habit)
Lawns, grazed meadows, waysides
Flowering: May – October
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Creeping stems that root at every node — it forms dense mats in mown lawns. Red clover has an upright, non-creeping stem and darker flowers.
🍃 Leaves
Three rounded leaflets, a clear white chevron, borne on creeping stems
🌸 Flowers
Small white flower head, sometimes tinged with pink
🍎 Fruits
Small pod with several seeds
🪵 Bark
Creeping stems that root at the nodes
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia, now cosmopolitan; very common in France in meadows and lawns
🐝 Value for pollinators
White flowers very rich in nectar, one of the plants most visited by honeybees in meadows
✂️ Horticultural uses
Used as a nitrogen-fixing green manure and tolerated in wildflower meadows or ecological lawns
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity
⚠️ Look-alike species
White clover
Trifolium repens
Red clover
Trifolium pratense
Red clover has an upright, non-creeping stem and darker flowers.
🌿 Other Fabaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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