White Clover
Trifolium repens · Cool-season broadleaf perennial
Grass Family
Fabaceae (not a true grass, often managed alongside turfgrass)
Grass Category
Lawn Weed / Pasture Forage / Nitrogen Fixer
Variety / Cultivar
Common White Clover (Dutch Clover)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10
About This Grass
Low-growing herbaceous perennial with characteristic trifoliate leaves, each leaflet featuring a faint whitish watermark, and small white pom-pom flower heads
Blade Characteristics
Not applicable; features trifoliate compound leaves with rounded to obovate leaflets and distinct petioles
Root System
Fibrous root system with a shallow taproot and rooting stolons; excellent at fixing atmospheric nitrogen
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Central Asia, widely naturalized globally
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively via creeping stems that root at the nodes
Sunlight & Water Needs
Thrives in full sun to partial shade; prefers moderate moisture but tolerates drought well due to deep taproot; prefers compacted, low-nitrogen soils
Mowing & Maintenance
Tolerates low mowing very well, often spreading horizontally under frequent cutting; requires minimal fertilization as it produces its own nitrogen
Special Characteristics
Exceptional tolerance to poor, compacted soils and low-nitrogen conditions; high wear tolerance; frequently utilized in eco-lawns
Ecological Information
Highly beneficial for pollinators such as bees; fixes nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers; can be considered an invasive weed in manicured monoculture lawns