Clover
Common names: White clover, Dutch clover, Ladino clover, Ladino
Scientific name: Trifolium repens
Climate: Temperate
Plant description: It is a perennial herbaceous legume, it has creeping growth and can reach 10 cm in height.
The roots branch from the main root, their stems develop flush with the ground as stolons, giving rise to rhizoids that grow from the nodules, allowing the plant to spread horizontally.
It has whitish flower buds with a pink or cream tinge that can appear with the aging of the plant. The flowers are between 1.5 and 2 cm wide and are commonly visited by bumblebees, honey bees, and other pollinators.
The leaves are smooth of green color with light or dark spots, they are elliptical to ovoid and elongated in shape, with 3 leaves of 1 to 2 cm long.
The term "white clover" is applied to the species in general, "dutch clover" is often applied to the intermediate varieties (but sometimes to the smaller varieties), and "ladino clover" is applied to the large varieties.
It is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.
Cultivation: It adapts to a wide range of soils and climates. It is spread mainly by seeds.
White clover seeds are sown directly into the ground. It grows in poor soils thanks to the natural association with Rhizobium-type bacteria, which allows it to fix atmospheric nitrogen.
It likes a fertile soil, slightly humid and well drained, with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. It is resistant to intensive grazing, cutting and treading. Competes aggressively for space by displacing other plants, yet is not considered a weed.
It can tolerate a short dry spell but is not drought tolerant. It can die during hot, dry summers.
It grows well at heights of 2,000 to 3,000 m. It develops very well in areas with temperatures from 10 to 20ºC and tolerates conditions of high cloudiness. Its flowering period is from June to August.
Uses: It is one of the most cultivated forage legume crops in the world.
Provides grazing in fall, late winter, and spring. Its ability to fix nitrogen makes it a quality green manure.
Dried flowers are believed to have active ingredients and medicinal qualities such as tonic, astringent, antirheumatic, diuretic, expectorant, and anti-inflammatory. It is also useful for skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, ulcers, abscesses, insect bites.
Plagues and diseases: It is resistant to diseases and pests. However, the risk of slug attack is possible at the beginning of their growth. It is susceptible to Naupactus (weevil).
References:
Bolívar, A. (2019, January 21). Trébol Blanco: Origen, Descripción, Tipos, Cultivo, Usos Y Más. Plantas Y Flores. https://plantasyflores.pro/trebol-blanco/
colaboradores de Wikipedia. (2020, August 20). Trifolium repens. Wikipedia, La Enciclopedia Libre. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifolium_repens
(n.d.). Trebol Blanco y sus Propiedades | Tusplantasmedicinales.com. Plantas Medicinales. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.tusplantasmedicinales.com/trebol-blanco/
Trébol blanco, Trifolium repens - Flores - NatureGate. (n.d.). Nature Gate. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from http://luontoportti.com/suomi/es/kukkakasvit/trebol-blanco
Trébol blanco (Tripolium repens) Información Completa y Detallada. (2020, March 8). Info Pastos y Forrajes. https://infopastosyforrajes.com/leguminosas-de-clima-frio/trebol-blanco-tripolium-repens/
VIVOTECA. (2017, May 6). Vivoteca 17 Trébol blanco Trifolium repens. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_f0nFev2YI
En español: Trébol