Plant profile

Clovers

Genus Trifolium

Clovers are small, easygoing plants in the genus Trifolium that can add nectar and pollen to gardens, lawns, and pots while helping cover bare soil.

Plant Type

Wildflowers (annuals/biennials) > Clovers

Aliases

Clover

Native Range

Includes native and commonly grown species; range varies by species

Bloom window

Varies by species; often from late spring through summer

Overview Summary Impact Recognition Location Requirements Glossary Get Involved

OVERVIEW

About This Plant

Why clovers are worth planting

Clovers are small plants that can do a lot in a little space. They’re especially useful when you want more flowers in places that are usually just grass or bare soil.

Where clovers fit best

Lawns and schoolyards: Let a section bloom by mowing less often.
Garden beds: Use clover to fill gaps between taller plants.
Containers: Add clover to a pot as a low, spreading “filler.”

How to get more blooms

Clovers often bloom more when they get plenty of light and when they’re not cut back too frequently. If you’re using clover in a lawn, the simplest change is to mow higher and less often during bloom.

A simple, pollinator-friendly approach

If you’re building a small pollinator patch, clover can be one piece of the puzzle—especially as a connector plant between bigger, showier flowers. Mix it with a few other bloomers so something is flowering across the season.

Best role for pollinators

Small pollinator patches, lawn alternatives, edges of paths, and filling gaps in sunny beds

Clovers (*Trifolium* spp.) — https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/198942992 Photo: (c) Dillon Freiburger, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) | CC-BY-NC | iNaturalist

FAST FACTS

Quick Details

Essential stats and requirements for quick reference.

Category	Details
Also known as	Clover
Bloom window	Varies by species; often from late spring through summer
Typical height	Low-growing; height varies by species
Pollinators supported	Bees, Butterflies
Light & moisture	Best in sun to part sun with evenly moist soil (once established, many handle short dry spells)
Best roles for pollinators	Small pollinator patches, lawn alternatives, edges of paths, and filling gaps in sunny beds

SUMMARY

If You Remember Three Things

A quick scan of what they do, what they need, and the best first step.

What they do

Clovers provide small, frequent flower clusters that can be easy for many pollinators to visit, and they can help cover bare soil.

What they need

Light, room to spread a little, and a mowing/trim schedule that allows flowers to form.

One best action

If clover is in your lawn, raise the mower height and mow less often during bloom so pollinators can use the flowers.

IMPACT

Why Plant This?

Clovers are a simple way to add pollinator-friendly flowers to everyday spaces like lawns, schoolyards, and small garden beds—without needing a big redesign.

Clover leaves are made of three leaflets—one reason they’re so easy to recognize at a glance.

Key Impacts

What it Supports

Clovers can add pollinator-friendly blooms to places that are usually “green only,” like lawns and path edges.
They’re a practical choice for small spaces—patches, borders, and containers.
A clover patch can help reduce bare soil and make a garden look fuller.

RECOGNITION

Identification Guide

Look for the classic clover leaf and round flower heads held above the foliage.

Leaves

Usually three leaflets per leaf, often rounded with a faint pale mark; leaves sit on slender stems.

Flowers

Round or oval flower heads made of many tiny flowers; color varies by species (commonly white to pink, sometimes red).

Fruits

Small seed pods typical of the pea family; often not noticed unless you let plants fully mature.

Gallery image

LOCATION

Where It Grows

Native environments and the best spots to place it in your landscape.

Habitats

Lawns and schoolyards
Meadows and open grassy areas
Sunny garden beds and edges
Containers and planters

Where it is often used

Pollinator patch groundcover
Lawn alternative or lawn mix-in
Filling gaps between taller plants
Container planting (as a spiller or filler)
Path edges and sunny borders

SEASONALITY

When It Blooms

Notes on bloom windows and how this plant helps pollinators across the seasons.

Bloom window

Bloom timing depends on the clover species and how often it’s cut back.

Bloom Season Role: Reliable, repeat-blooming “filler” flowers that can keep a patch active

Seasonal benefits

Can provide repeat blooms if not mowed too frequently
Pairs well with spring and late-summer flowers to keep a patch active

REQUIREMENTS

What It Needs

The right mix of sun, soil, and space for healthy growth.

Sun exposure

Best in sun to part sun. More sun usually means more flowers.

Soil type

Most clovers handle average garden soil. Avoid spots that stay soggy for long periods.

Moisture needs

Water new plantings regularly until established. In pots, check often during warm, dry weather.

Planting method

Sow seed on loosened soil and press in lightly, or tuck small starts into gaps. Keep the surface lightly moist until seedlings are up.

Mulching tips

Use a thin mulch around (not on top of) seedlings. In lawns, skip mulch and let clover knit in naturally.

GARDENING GUIDE

How to Grow It

Simple steps to plant, prune, and maintain healthy trees without pesticides.

Planting tips

Pick a sunny to partly sunny spot (a patch, lawn corner, or a pot).
Clear a small area of thick weeds and loosen the top layer of soil.
Scatter seed thinly or plant small starts, then press into the soil for good contact.
Water gently and keep the surface lightly moist until plants are established.
Let clover flower by mowing or trimming less often during bloom.

Seasonal care

Mow or trim higher and less often if you want flowers.
In beds, pull or snip taller weeds early so clover isn’t shaded out.
In containers, water when the top of the soil feels dry.
If clover spreads into places you don’t want it, edge or hand-pull small sections.

What not to do

Mowing so often that clover never blooms.
Using lawn chemicals in areas where clover is growing.
Starting seed on hard, compacted ground and expecting it to take off.
Letting container clover dry out completely during flowering.

Pairings

Best Pairings for Season-Long Bloom

Pairing ideas to keep pollinators fed throughout the growing season.

Early Bloom

Native spring wildflowers (choose local species)
Early-blooming bulbs in garden beds

Mid-Season Bloom

Coneflowers
Black-eyed Susans
Native grasses (short clumping types)

Late-Season Bloom

Goldenrods
Asters
Late-blooming native wildflowers (choose local species)

Because “clover” can mean many different Trifolium species, choose options that fit your goals (lawn mix, garden patch, or container) and, when possible, look for locally appropriate native species.

GLOSSARY