Trifolium incarnatum

Crimson clover, Italian Clover

Fabaceae Edible: Seeds, Flowers, Leaves 22,496 iNaturalist observations

environmental engineeringfodderhoneylandscape architecture

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Trifolium incarnatum, known as crimson clover is a species of herbaceous flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to most of Europe and southwest Asia.

Description

An annual herb. It is an erect plant. The stems are hairy. The leaves are divided into 3 leaflets. The leaflets are also hairy. The leaflets have teeth near their ends and can vary in shape. The leafy structure at the base of the leaf (stipule) is round and wavy. The flowers are small. They are in oblong heads. These occur singly at the ends of stalks. The flowers are dark red.

Edible Uses

The seeds can be sprouted and eaten in salads, or dried and ground into a nutritious flour. Dried flower heads make a tea substitute.

Traditional Uses

The sprouted seeds are eaten in salads, sandwiches and soups. Dried flower heads are used as a tea substitute. The seeds are ground into flour.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It will grow in most soils. It needs an open, sunny position. It is resistant to frost but sensitive to drought. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Albania, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, China, Crete, Czech, Denmark, Europe*, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Korea, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Netherlands, North America, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Yugoslavia,

Cultivation

Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun. Succeeds in poor soils. The ssp. molinerli is the form of this species that is native to Britain, whilst ssp. incarnatum is naturalized in S. Britain and is the form grown as a green manure crop. It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias. Fairly resistant to 'clover rot'. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Propagation

Pre-soak seed for 12 hours in warm water, then sow in spring to early summer in situ. Seed can also be sown in early autumn as a winter green manure.

Other Uses

Used as a green manure — it grows relatively quickly, suppresses weeds effectively, and fixes nitrogen. It is also included in grass seed mixes for soil reclamation projects.

Other Information

It is cultivated.

Notes

There are about 240 Trifolium species. They are mostly temperate.

Synonyms

Trifolium incarnatum L. var. elatius

Also Known As

Rdeča detelja, Scarlet clover

References (20)

Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 651
Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 103
Bremness, L., 1994, Herbs. Collins Eyewitness Handbooks. Harper Collins. p 273
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 111
Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org

Show all 20 references

http://www.botanic-gardens-ljubljana.com/en/plants
Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G., 1997, Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. Plant Protection Society of Western Australia. p 162
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 875
Lamp, C & Collet F., 1989, Field Guide to Weeds in Australia. Inkata Press. p 309
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 239
Loughmiller, C & L., 1985, Texas Wildflowers. A Field Guide. University of Texas, Austin. p 139
Paczkowska, G . & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Calatogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 452
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Sp. pl. 2:769. 1753
Tasmanian Herbarium Vascular Plants list p 32
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/econ.pl (10 April 2000)
Wiersema, J. H. & Leon, B., 2013, World Economic Plants. A Standard Reference CRC Press. 2nd Ed. p 695
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
www.ediblewildfood.com
Zeven, A. C. & de West, J. M. J., 1982, Dictionary of cultivated plants and their regions of diversity. Wageningen. p 115