Backyard Biodiversity: White Clover - pollinator plant
Updated: Nov 21, 2020
Today's pollinator plant is white clover aka Dutch clover (Trifolium lepens). Like its counterpart red clover, white clover is non-native and was brought here by European settlers.
While there are native clovers, they are very rare to find in urban settings. My favorite native clover has to be purple prairie clover or buffalo clover.
White clover will have white flowers and red clover will have pinkish-red flowers.
Clover is GREAT for the soil as it fixes nitrogen in its roots for other plants to use as a fertilizing agent and pollinators and wildlife LOVE IT.
You will find it growing in disturbed soil sites as well as many lawns. Please do not mow the flowers!
** PLEASE REMEMBER THAT LEADED GASOLINE WAS ONLY BANNED IN THE 1980s/early 90s. IF YOU LIVE IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE (ESPECIALLY ON ONE-WAYS) YOU WILL HAVE LEAD IN YOUR SOIL. DO NOT EAT ANY PLANT THAT IS NOT IN A RAISED BED OR POT. **
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