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White Clover (Trifolium repens)

Plant Species
From Montana Interagency Plant Materials Handbook *
 By S. Smoliak, R.L. Ditterline, J.D. Scheetz, L.K. Holzworth, J.R. Sims, L.E. Wiesner, D.E. Baldridge, and G.L. Tibke

White clover was apparently well established in North America by 1750 after it was introduced by the first settlers from Europe. It is the most widespread legume known, as it is found from the Arctic Circle to the temperate regions of the world.

Three types of white clover are grown in Montana. They are ladino, or large white clover; white Dutch, or intermediate or common white clover; and the wild type, also known as low growing or small white clover. The ladino type grows two to four times taller than white Dutch and is, therefore, much higher yielding. It is less winterhardy, less resistant to very low clipping and less likely to flower well, especially in cloudy, moist climates.

The ladino types persist and grow longer during the heat of the summer. White Dutch clover is quite variable and sometimes approaches the tallness of the ladino type or it may be as small as the wild white clover. Usually, white Dutch clover is intermediate in size. Both white Dutch clover and wild white clover are low growing and, therefore, persist only where taller-growing species are absent. All three types are closely related and cross pollinate. In mixtures, grasses are stimulated by the nitrogen released, thereby improving yield and protein content of the forages.

Description

White clover is a short- to long-lived perennial. It has a shallow tap root which may grow to a depth of at least 3 feet and has very small crowns. It produces above-ground, creeping stems called stolons that root at the nodes, thus permitting individual plants to spread over a considerable area. The plant has no upright stems as the top growth consists of leaf stems or petioles and leaves. There is usually a V-shaped white mark in the middle of each leaflet. The taller growing flowers are predominantly white, as the common name of the species suggests, but are sometimes tinged with pink. The small, yellow seeds have a hard seed coat that permits germination many years after the initial seeding. The hard seed of white clover may pass intact through the digestive tract of grazing animals, thus allowing reseeding and spread of the species.

Adaptation

White clover is best adapted to well-drained silt, loam and clay soils that have a fairly constant supply of moisture. It can be grown on sandy soils with adequate moisture and fertility. It will tolerate slightly-acidic soils, but is not tolerant of saline or alkaline soils. Best growth will occur on soils with a pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0. It grows best during cool, moist seasons or in areas where irrigation is possible. Ladino is reported as having some alkali tolerance.

Although white clover is moderately winterhardy, it can persist for long periods through natural reseeding or through the rooting of young stolon ends.

Limitations

White clover has a low tolerance to drought because of its shallow root system. Since periods of high temperature are also unfavorable for growth, a prolonged drought can kill a stand. It is also intolerant of prolonged flooding, and does poorly on a waterlogged soil.

Lack of winterhardiness limits the use of ladino types to the irrigated areas of Alberta. White Dutch clover persists for a few years in the more moist parts of the province, but wild white clover is most persistent. Although it is less sensitive to fall grazing than alfalfa, it should not be grazed in early fall in order to allow it time to prepare for winter.

Use for Hay

The ladino type is the only white clover that grows tall enough to be useful in a hay mixture. It does satisfactorily in a red clover-timothy mixture provided hay is harvested early to eliminate the shading from these tall-growing forages. Since no stems are harvested, the leaves and petioles make hay that is very high in protein and digestibility. For best establishment and growth, white clover seed should be inoculated just before planting.

Use for Pasture

White clover is most useful as a pasture species. The low-growing habit of white Dutch and wild white clover make them useful only as pasture. All types are palatable and very nutritious since livestock only consume leaves, petioles and flower shoots. White clover begins growth fairly early in spring, but does not do well during the heat of the summer. It regrows rapidly after grazing. Bloat occurs about as frequently as with red and alsike clover.

Ladino types are fairly long-lived and yield very well in irrigated areas. They should be about 8 inches tall before grazing. The closeness of grazing depends on the grasses in the mixture. With tall-growing species, such as timothy or bromegrass, clipping should not be closer than about 3 inches. With orchardgrass, which regrows very rapidly, grazing height should be reduced to about 2 inches to allow the clover to persist in the stand. For best yields, ladino clover should be irrigated frequently.

White Dutch clover is sometimes seeded in pasture mixtures in moist areas of Montana. Although it tolerates close grazing, it is not persistent and usually kills out in two to three years. Where wild white clover is present, it will come in when the white Dutch dies. For best establishment and growth, white clover seed should be inoculated just before planting.

Although wild white clover persists and provides some pasture under conditions of extreme overgrazing, its presence in pastures is an indication that heavy stocking rates are decreasing total yield. No other legume will tolerate the heavy and continuous grazing that wild white clover will, so it often dominates the stand after higher yielding forages have been grazed out.

* The Montana Interagency Plant Materials Handbook (EB69) is no longer in print, but is available for viewing in
Montana County Extension Service and National Resource Conservation Service Offices.