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Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Red Clover, Trifolium pratense L.

Red clover is an occasional weed problem in home lawns and other turf areas maintained at high heights of cut. It is more prevalent in under-fertilized lawns and grows well in full sun.

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Updated:

May 17, 2023

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Figure 1. Red clover growing in lawn in central Pennsylvania. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

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This species is often confused with white clover, a closely related species; however, leaves of red clover are larger than white clover, and flowers are red or pink. Cultivated as a forage crop and for medical purposes, red clover seed occasionally escapes and is transported to lawns.

Life Cycle

Red clover belongs to the legume family (Fabaceae) and is classified as a short-lived perennial. Plants have spreading or erect stems and form clumps and small patches. Foliage typically dies back in winter and new leaves are produced from crown tissue in spring. Foliage may persist and remain visible during mild winters. Red clover produces flowers from late spring to early summer, and occasionally in late summer and fall. Individual flowers are replaced by small seedpods containing 1 or 2 kidney-shaped seeds. Seed germination occurs during cool, moist periods in spring and fall. Like other legumes, red clover exists symbiotically with nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia bacteria, which produce nodules on roots and convert atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-available form.

Identification

Red clover stems are somewhat hairy, spreading, or erect. Leaves are made up of three oval or oblong leaflets (trifoliate arrangement) up to 2 inches in length and ¾ inch in diameter, and arise alternately on stems. Margins of leaflets are smooth, with tiny hairs projecting outward. A white or light green inverted V-shaped pattern, often referred to as a watermark or chevron, is usually visible in the middle of each leaflet. Leaflets lack petioles and two stipules are located at the base of the leaf. Mature inflorescences are spherical or globe-shaped, approximately ¾ to 1 inch in diameter, and contain numerous small pink or purplish-pink flowers. Red clover has a deep taproot that allows survival under drought stress conditions.

Figure 2. Leaflets and inflorescences of red clover. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Management and Control

Red clover is more likely to form clumps and patches in new lawns that are not adequately fertilized with nitrogen. Infestations of red clover can be reduced by improving turf density through good establishment procedures and the use of turfgrasses well-adapted to site conditions. This weed is best controlled by herbicides containing dicamba, clopyralid, fluroxypyr, and quinclorac. Regrowth of foliage sometimes occurs following spring herbicide applications. Fall applications of herbicides are often the most effective means of controlling red clover.

Some postemergence herbicide products labeled for control of red clover.

Active ingredients	Product name(s)*
2,4-D, clopyralid, and dicamba	Millennium Ultra 2**
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, and dicamba	Escalade 2, Escalade
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, triclopyr, and flumioxazin	Sure Power (ester formulation)
2,4-D, quinclorac, and dicamba	Quincept; 2DQ Herbicide
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, and triclopyr	Momentum FX2
2,4-D and triclopyr	Chaser (ester formulation)
2,4-D and triclopyr	Chaser 2 Amine
2,4-D, triclopyr, and clopyralid	Lesco Momentum
2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, and pyraflufen-ethyl	4-Speed XT (ester formulation)
clopyralid	Lontrel**
florasulam	Defendor
MCPA, fluroxypyr, and dicamba	Change Up
MCPA, fluroxypyr, and triclopyr	Battleship III
MCPA, MCPP, and dicamba	Tri-Power Selective Herbicide
MCPA, triclopyr, and dicamba	Eliminate
MCPA, triclopyr, and dicamba	Cool Power (ester formulation); Lesco Three-Way Ester II
MCPP	Mecomec 4 Turf Herbicide
prodiamine and quinclorac	Cavalcade PQ
quinclorac	Drive XLR8, Quinclorac 1.5 L, Quinclorac 75 DF
triclopyr and clopyralid	2-D Herbicide, Confront**
triclopyr and fluroxypyr	Tailspin