Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Trifolium

Species:

Trifolium carolinianum

USDA Symbol:

TRCA6

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

20 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

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 from root crown after fire; tolerates mowing and grazing similarly.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Scarification improves germination. Seeds may also benefit from inoculation with Rhizobium bacteria for nitrogen fixation.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI