Shamrock Shaped Leaves and Pollinator Friendly Flowers

White clover is becoming very prevalent in under-fertilized lawns. It grows best in full sun; however, it can also multiply into turf areas that receive fertilizer and are partially shaded.

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor/Publisher Gardener News

Every time I see clover in a lawn I think about the pop group Tommy James and The

Shondells song—“Crimson and Clover.” The song title is fairly straightforward. “Crimson” is associated with the color red, a hue also associated with love, while “Clover” is a specific species of flower. Love is blossoming.

White clover seems to be everywhere this year. I’ve seen it mostly in county, municipal and on state properties. I’ve also seen it in residential turf as well.

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a short-lived perennial that can reseed itself under favorable conditions, grows rapidly, and spreads via stolons (a stem, at or just below the surface of the ground, that produces new plants from buds at its tips or nodes). It grows best during cool, moist weather on well-drained, fertile soils with a pH between 6 and 7. The clover looks like it has creeped into (Cont. on Page 22)