Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Trifolium

Species:

Trifolium bifidum

USDA Symbol:

TRBI

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

pink, purple, white

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:

Native annual clover of California grasslands; reseeds readily after fire and tolerates periodic burns.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Prefers open, sunny habitats; often found in disturbed areas.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Scarification improves germination of hard seed coat. May benefit from inoculation with Rhizobium.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI