Woollyhead Clover

Trifolium eriocephalum

Native to:
United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Trifolium
Species:
Trifolium eriocephalum
USDA Symbol:
TRER2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
30 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may,jun,jul,aug
Bloom Colors:
white, pink, purple

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 following fire; common component of fire-maintained meadows and prairies in the Pacific Northwest.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
prefers open, sunny habitats

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
14–30 days
Notes:
Scarification recommended due to hard seed coat. Inoculation with Rhizobium may improve establishment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: 90 days cold-moist stratification

Establishment: Warm stratification resulted in lower germination rate (10%). 45 days cold-moist stratification resulted in 63% germination rate.

Source: npn.rngr.net