Tembien Clover
Trifolium tembense
- Native to:
- DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Trifolium
- Species:
- Trifolium tembense
- USDA Symbol:
- TRTE11
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 30 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple, white
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:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers high organic matter content
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 14–30 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Inoculation with Rhizobium bacteria beneficial.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI