Prickly Clover
Trifolium echinatum
- Native to:
- Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Romania, Sicilia, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Trifolium
- Species:
- Trifolium echinatum
- USDA Symbol:
- TREC2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink
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
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to Mediterranean regions, prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification improves germination. Seeds may benefit from inoculation with appropriate Rhizobium.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI