Rabbitfoot Clover
Trifolium arvense
Also listed as Trifolium gracile, Trifolium agrestinum
Also known as Rabbitsfoot Clover, Hare's-foot Clover, Hare-foot Clover
Climate Match for your location
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Rabbitfoot clover is a low-growing annual legume with distinctive fuzzy, pinkish-white flower heads that resemble rabbit's feet. It thrives in poor, sandy soils and requires minimal water, making it useful for erosion control and as a cover crop.
Why grow it
Rabbitfoot clover establishes readily in degraded soils where many legumes struggle, making it practical for quick ground cover on eroded slopes or disturbed sites. Unlike some clovers, it tolerates very sandy and infertile conditions with minimal inputs. It fixes nitrogen modestly and breaks up compacted soil, though it is less vigorous than red clover for intensive biomass accumulation or livestock forage.
Watch out for
As an annual, rabbitfoot clover will not persist beyond its season without reseeding, so plan accordingly if continuous cover is needed. Its fuzzy flowers can shed seed readily in dry conditions, so management timing matters if you wish to prevent volunteer seedlings in adjacent areas.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Fabaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean and Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Rabbitfoot clover is a low-growing annual legume with distinctive fuzzy, pinkish-white flower heads that resemble rabbit's feet. It thrives in poor, sandy soils and requires minimal water, making it useful for erosion control and as a cover crop.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Rabbitfoot Clover grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Rabbitfoot clover establishes readily in degraded soils where many legumes struggle, making it practical for quick ground cover on eroded slopes or disturbed sites. Unlike some clovers, it tolerates very sandy and infertile conditions with minimal inputs. It fixes nitrogen modestly and breaks up compacted soil, though it is less vigorous than red clover for intensive biomass accumulation or livestock forage.
Watch out for
As an annual, rabbitfoot clover will not persist beyond its season without reseeding, so plan accordingly if continuous cover is needed. Its fuzzy flowers can shed seed readily in dry conditions, so management timing matters if you wish to prevent volunteer seedlings in adjacent areas.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Fabaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean and Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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