Red clover is a common plant of all kinds of grassy areas in the UK, from lawns to pastures, roadsides to meadows. It is sown as a fodder crop for livestock and has long been used in crop rotation systems because of its ability to fix nitrogen, enriching soils. The trefoil leaves are collected by wood mice and the flowers, which appear from May to October, are sought after by all kinds of bumblebees for their nectar.
How to identify
Like other clovers, the leaves of red clover have the familiar trefoil look with three green leaflets each bearing a white V-shaped marking. The pinky-red flowers are borne in rounded heads.
Did you know?
The nectar-rich flowers of red clover are a favourite of many species of bee, including the common carder bee, honeybee and red-tailed bumblebee.
