clover, (genus Trifolium), genus of about 300 annual and perennial species in the pea family (Fabaceae). Clovers occur in most temperate and subtropical regions of the world, except Southeast Asia and Australia; cultivated species have become naturalized in temperate regions worldwide. The plants are useful as livestock feed and can be planted as a cover crop or used as a green manure. The flowers are highly attractive to bees, and clover honey is a common secondary product of clover cultivation.
Clovers are generally short-lived herbs and feature alternate compound leaves, usually with three toothed leaflets. The very small, fragrant flowers are crowded into dense, nearly spherical heads, or spikes and can be white, pink, red, or yellow. The small, dry fruits usually contain one or two seeds. Many species tolerate shade, repeated mowing, and foot traffic very well and are often found in lawns. The plants are susceptible to alfalfa weevils and a number of foliar diseases, including common leaf rot and mosaic.
Clover is highly palatable to livestock and is high in protein, phosphorus, and calcium, thus providing valuable nourishment in either the green or the dry stage. In addition to their principal value as animal feed in the form of hay, pasture, and silage, the clovers are valuable soil-improving and soil-conserving plants. Clover adds about 55–170 kg per hectare (about 50–150 pounds per acre) of nitrogen to the soil and increases availability of other nutrients for following crops.
The most important agricultural species are red clover (Trifolium pratense), white clover (T. repens), and alsike clover (T. hybridum). Red clover, a biennial, or short-lived perennial, bears an oval purplish flower head about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter. White clover, a low creeping perennial, is often used in lawn-grass mixtures and bears a white flower head often tinged with pink. Alsike clover, a perennial species sometimes called Swedish clover, or Alsatian clover, bears globular rosy-pink flower heads.