Owl-Head Clover

Trifolium alpestre

Native to:
Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Krym, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Ukraine

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Trifolium
Species:
Trifolium alpestre
USDA Symbol:
TRAL10

Growth Characteristics

Height:
50 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
jun,jul,aug
Bloom Colors:
pink, purple, red

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
well-drained, calcareous, rocky soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
14–28 days
Notes:
Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Cold stratification beneficial but not always required.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI