Meadow clover, in contrast to white clover, likes to grow in nutrient-rich soil. The use of the wild plant, also known as red clover, corresponds to that of white clover. One of the special features of meadow clover is the high proportion of phytohormones, which have a relieving effect on menopausal symptoms.
What does the profile of the meadow clover look like?
The meadow clover (Trifolium pratense) is a perennial plant from the legume family. It has trifoliate green leaves and showy red, white or pink flowers. It is known for its deep taproots and is well suited as green manure or animal feed. Meadow clover also contains he alth-promoting plant hormones.
The meadow clover – a profile
- Botanical name: Trifolium pratense
- Popular names: red clover, meadow clover, honey flower, field clover
- Family: Legumes
- Subfamily: Lepidoptera
- Occurrence: fat meadows, forests, fields
- Annual/Perennial: perennial
- Height: 15 to 60 centimeters
- Leaves: green, three-leaf, rarely four-leaf
- Flower: red, white. Inflorescences up to 100 individual flowers
- Flowering period: April to October
- Harvest time: May to September
- Propagation: seeds, cuttings
- Uses: kitchen, medicinal plant
- Toxic: not poisonous
- Special features: contains plant hormones
The flower colors of meadow clover
The best-known variation of meadow clover is red clover, which stands out for its red flowers. But there are also species with white or pink flowers.
The roots of meadow clover grow very long
Meadow clover forms long taproots. They can grow up to two meters deep. That's why meadow clover, like all types of clover, is very suitable as green manure for fields and vegetable beds.
The plant also absorbs nitrogen from the air and collects it in small nodules on the roots. The nitrogen is released there and naturally enriches the soil with nutrients.
Meadow clover is sown as green manure from March to September. The plants are mown with a scythe (€99.00 at Amazon) before the flowers break open. The roots remain in the ground and decompose there. In doing so, they loosen the earth profoundly.
Grow meadow clover in the pot
To harvest clover seedlings for the kitchen, you can also sow meadow clover in a pot. If you want to keep the plant as an ornamental, choose a pot as deep as possible so that the roots can spread.
Meadow clover is not common in lawns
If the lawn is interspersed with clover, it is usually not meadow clover, but white clover. Meadow clover prefers nutritious soil and is not quite as robust as white clover.
Tip
Meadow clover is grown in the garden as animal feed or for use as a medicinal plant and culinary herb. The perennial plant goes into winter and sprouts again in spring.
