White Clover Description

Weed

White clover

Scientific Name

Trifolium repens

Family

Legume family (Fabaceae)

Life Cycle

Cool season perennial

Reproduction Method

Reproduces primarily by seed and occasionally creeping stems

Appearance

White clover creeps to form patches in turf and emerges from a fibrous root system. It can root at nodes on creeping stems.

Leaves

The compound leaves are composed of three unstalked oval leaflets, up to 4/5 inch long. They are dark green and often with faint, white, crescent-shaped markings.

Flowers

White clover inflorescences occur in ball-shaped white to pink clusters of pea-shaped flowers that are held slightly above the foliage. The inflorescences are up to 1 1/4 inch in diameter, composed of 40 to 100 flowers, and appear May to September.

Occurrence

This weed occurs in most lawns and especially in moist, low-fertility soils throughout growing season.

Non Chemical Control

To control without chemicals, maintain turf density and health through proper culture. Do not fertilize heavily with phosphorus. Mechanically remove or hand pull.

Chemical Control

Application Period

Apply postemergence herbicides in mid spring to early summer and/or mid to late autumn when weeds are growing actively.

Active Ingredient in Labeled Products

Preemergent	Postemergent
isoxaben	2,4-D 2,4-DP chlorsulfuron* clopyralid dicamba ethofumesate** MCPA MCPP quinclorac triclopyr not on tall fescue or ryegrass turf *early postemergence activity

Notes

White clover was formerly a common component of turf mixes due to its ability to fix nitrogen. It is still currently available in mixes or by itself and may be useful in low management turf areas. It has the ability to persist at short mowing heights and can attract bees to lawns.