Common Name: Suckling Clover

General Information

Trifolium dubium is an annual plant with slender, procumbent or ascending stems growing from a short tap root; it can grow up to 25cm tall, occasionally to 50cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes used in land reclamation projects.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Eurasia - Norway to Portugal, east to Ciscaucasia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel; N. Africa - Morocco, Tunisia

Habitat

Grassy places throughout Britain[]. Dry meadows, forest fringes and open forests, steppes, on sands, sometimes as a weed in fields; preferring light and poor soils[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.25 m
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Trifolium dubium is a plant of the temperate to subtropical zones, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 12 - 18°c, but can tolerate 5 - 25°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 700 - 900mm, but tolerates 570 - 1,200mm[].
Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun[]. Succeeds in poor soils, calcareous sols and sandy soils[, ]. Grows well in a wild flower lawn[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 7[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
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[]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is haemostatic[]. A poultice of the chopped plant has been applied to cuts to stop the bleeding[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant fixes atmospheric nitrogen and is used in seed mixes with grasses for land reclamation sowings[].
It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better[]. 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[].
The nectar-rich flowers are a good food source for bees and butterflies[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring to early summer in situ.