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Useful Temperate Plants

Trifolium wormskioldii

Lehm.

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Lupinaster wormskioldii (Lehm.) C.Presl

Trifolium calocephalum Torr. & A.Gray

Trifolium fendleri Greene

Trifolium fimbriatum Lindl.

Trifolium heterodon Torr. & A.Gray

Trifolium involucratum fendleri (Greene) McDermott

Trifolium involucratum fimbriatum (Lindl.) McDermott

Trifolium involucratum kennedianum McDermott

Trifolium kennedianum (McDermott) A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr.

Trifolium spinulosum Hook.

Common Name: Springbank Clover

No Image.

General Information

Trifolium wormskioldii is a robust, herbaceous perennial plant with a creeping rootstock and branched, erect to creeping stems up to 80cm long; the plant can grow 10 - 30cm tall[
71
Title
A California Flora.
Publication
 
Author
Munz P.A. & Keck D.D.
Publisher
University of California Press; Los Angeles
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.
,
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
The plant was a favourite traditional food for the native peoples, and is still often harvested for local use.

Known Hazards

Eating this plant can cause bloat, especially if larger quantities are consumed[
1151
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Government Printing Office; Washington
Year
1900
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal. Rather dated, but it includes an ethnobotanical report from California and an early monograph of N. American Apiaceae. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].

Botanical References

71
Title
A California Flora.
Publication
 
Author
Munz P.A. & Keck D.D.
Publisher
University of California Press; Los Angeles
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.
,
204
Title
Flora of Canada
Publication
 
Author
Livingstone. B.
Publisher
National Museums of Canada
Year
1978
ISBN
0-660-00025-3
Description
In 4 volumes, it does not deal with plant uses but gives descriptions and habitats.

Range

Western N. America - British Colombia, south to California, northern Mexico and Texas.

Habitat

From beaches to mountain meadows, growing in wet and periodically inundated places, such as high salt and brackish marshes, coastal dunes, wet meadows, and stream banks, generally in open, moist or marshy places; at elevations up to 3,200 metres[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
HabitPerennial
Height1.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusSemi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Succeeds in poor soils.
Dividing the plant every 3 - 4 years maintains vigour and also promotes new growth of roots[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
This species produces fresh, tender leaves later into the summer than other edible species of Trifolium in western N. America[
1151
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Government Printing Office; Washington
Year
1900
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal. Rather dated, but it includes an ethnobotanical report from California and an early monograph of N. American Apiaceae. It can be downloaded from the Internet
]
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[
201
Title
A - Z of Companion Planting.
Publication
 
Author
Allardice.P.
Publisher
Cassell Publishers Ltd.
Year
1993
ISBN
0-304-34324-2
Description
A well produced and very readable book.
].

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked[
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
118
Title
Ethnobotany of Western Washington.
Publication
 
Author
Gunther. E.
Publisher
University of Washington Press
Year
1981
ISBN
0-295-95258-X
Description
A small book, it is a good guide to useful plants in Western N. America.
,
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. The long, fleshy, white rhizome was a very important food crop for several native North American tribes, who semi-cultivated the plant to ensure good yields every year[
256
Title
Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples
Publication
 
Author
Turner. N. J.
Publisher
UBC Press. Vancouver.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7748-0533-1
Description
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.
,
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
]. The roots can be harvested at any time of the year and were normally dried before being cooked, though they were also occasionally eaten raw[
256
Title
Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples
Publication
 
Author
Turner. N. J.
Publisher
UBC Press. Vancouver.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7748-0533-1
Description
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.
]. The dried root will store for a considerable period of time if it is kept in a cool place[
256
Title
Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples
Publication
 
Author
Turner. N. J.
Publisher
UBC Press. Vancouver.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7748-0533-1
Description
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.
]. The native Americans considered the long horizontal rhizomes to be superior to the shorter taproots, and also considered that the best roots grew in soft sandy soils[
256
Title
Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples
Publication
 
Author
Turner. N. J.
Publisher
UBC Press. Vancouver.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7748-0533-1
Description
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.
].
The rhizomes were commonly harvested and prepared together with the long, brown roots of Pacific silverweed (Potentilla anserinas ssp. pacifica). Both plants were usually dug in the autumn, after the leaves had started to die back for the winter. The rhizomes were pried out with long, pointed wooden digging sticks. They were cleaned and tied in fist-sized bundles using one of the rhizomes as a tie. Traditionally they were cooked in an underground pit[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].

Leaves and flowers - raw[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. Usually eaten raw with salt[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. Often eaten in quantity, especially since it produces tender leaves later than most other species in the genus[
1151
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Government Printing Office; Washington
Year
1900
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal. Rather dated, but it includes an ethnobotanical report from California and an early monograph of N. American Apiaceae. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].
The wilted dry leaves have been soaked and stirred in cold water to make a sour drink[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The stoloniferous growth form of this plant aids in substrate stabilization and erosion control[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
]. Being tolerant of saline conditions, it can be used to restore salt marshes and wetlands[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better[
201
Title
A - Z of Companion Planting.
Publication
 
Author
Allardice.P.
Publisher
Cassell Publishers Ltd.
Year
1993
ISBN
0-304-34324-2
Description
A well produced and very readable book.
]. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias[
201
Title
A - Z of Companion Planting.
Publication
 
Author
Allardice.P.
Publisher
Cassell Publishers Ltd.
Year
1993
ISBN
0-304-34324-2
Description
A well produced and very readable book.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ.
If the seed is in short supply it might be better to sow it in pots in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.
Division is easy. Preferably carried out in spring, though careful division at other times of the year generally work[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <temperate.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Trifolium+wormskioldii>

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