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Wikijunior:Summer Flowers of Northern New England/Trifolium pratense

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Red Clover
(Trifolium pratense)
Close-up of the flower
Red Clover colony
Description:
Red Clover looks a lot like White Clover, and in fact, sometimes the two cross-breed. But for the most part, the flower of the red clover is red (or pink), and the flower of the White Clover is white. If you can't decided if the flower is pink or white, you may be looking at a cross between the two.

The leaves of the Red Clover are a little bigger than the leaves of the White Clover. They also have a brighter chevron, which is a pattern that looks like a sargeant's stripes.

Like the White Clover, Red Clover was brought to the Americas by the Europeans for use as a pasture crop. It is also widely used as a source of nectar for honey bees.

Quick Facts:
Red Clover has the ability to take nitrogen from the air and put it in the soil. This is important because even though most plants need nitrogen in the soil, few are able to put it there.

Leaves