Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Trifolium

Species:

Trifolium ambiguum

USDA Symbol:

TRAM15

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

45 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Ground Cover:

Yes

Lawn Substitute:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from deep rhizomes after fire or mowing; rhizomes can extend over 1 meter deep.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

fertile, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers mountainous regions with good drainage

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Hard seed coat requires scarification or inoculation with appropriate Rhizobium for optimal establishment. Seeds benefit from inoculation with specific clover rhizobia.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI