Arrowleaf Clover

Scientific Name: Trifolium vesiculosum Savi

Arrowleaf Clover

General Information
Usda Symbol	TRVE
Group	Dicot
Life Cycle	Annual
Growth Habits	Forb/herb
Native Locations	TRVE

Plant Guide

Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Arrowleaf Clover.

Fact Sheet

Uses

Arrowleaf clover is suitable for hay, grazing, seed production, soil improvement, and wildlife, Deer and turkey readily feed on this clover, which often persists well into early summer, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Arrowleaf Clover.,

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Description

Arrowleaf clover is an upright, cool-season, reseeding annual legume that grows to a height of 40 to 50 inches under good conditions. Seeds germinate in the fall, but grow slowly during the winter. Leaflets are large, rounded at the base and pointed at the tip. Some leaflets have white, V-shaped markings. Blossoms are arranged in a cluster or head up to 2 inches long. Initially, the blossoms are white to pinkish, turning brown when mature.

Adaptation and Distribution

Distribution

Distribution

The plant is suited to a wide range of soil conditions from well- to moderately well-drained and from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. It is not suited to light textured, droughty soil of low fertility or to poorly drained, wet soils. Arrowleaf clover is distributed throughout the midsouth and southeastern United States. For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

Establishment

Prepare a smooth, clean seedbed. Firm with a cultipacker before and after planting. Cover seed ¼ to ½ inch deep. Arrowleaf clover may also be planted in an established summer perennial grass sod by light disking or with a no-till drill. Interseeding into a grass sod should be delayed until about the first frost date. Plant at a rate of 10 lbs of inoculated seed per/acre. Follow soil test recommendations, if available. If not, apply 300 lbs/acre of 0-20-20 or similar analysis at planting time, and annually (August or September) as a maintenance fertilizer. Management Jimmy Carter Plant Materials Center Americus, GA Start grazing when plants are 5 to 6 inches tall. Maintain a minimum top growth of 3 to 4 inches during the growing-season. For commercial seed production, exclude livestock or do not cut for hay after May 1. For reseeding, allow plants to attain a minimum height of 12 to 15 inches in early July to mature seed. For hay, cut in early bloom stage. When ‘Meechee’ arrowleaf clover is grown with summer perennial grasses, graze or cut surplus growth of grass to 2 inches by October 1.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Morphology/Physiology

Reproduction

Suitability/Use

Arrowleaf Clover