Hare's-foot clover

Hare’s-foot clover (Trifolium arvense) grows in dry, grassy places throughout Great Britain. It prefers sandy soils and is often found near the sea. The name “arvense” means “of arable land”, which suggests a somewhat different habitat – this is true in other European countries, Asia and North Africa, but in Britain hare’s-foot clover has largely been cleared from farmland.

It is an upright plant that grows about 4-8 inches (10-20 cms) tall.

The leaves are divided into three leaflets. The name clover comes from the Latin “clava”, meaning club, and it is thought that clover was so named because the leaf shape resembled the three-lobed club supposedly carried by Hercules. This is also the reason why the club symbol on playing cards has three lobes, although the leaflets on hare’s-foot clover are much more pointed than on playing card clubs.

Hare’s-foot clover flowers from June to September. The tiny flowers are borne in cylindrical heads up to one inch (2.5 cms) long, on stalks that are longer than the leaves. The flowers are cream in colour with a pink tinge caused by the reddish pointed teeth of the sepals. The soft, downy flowerheads are the reason why the name hare’s-foot was given to this particular clover. An alternative name is rabbit’s-foot clover.

© John Welford