Red clover is a short lived, creeping perennial weed, it is sometime referred to as purplewort and dutch clover. Although it will tolerate close mowing, it is not as common in managed turf as white clover. When left undisturbed it will form an upright growth habit, as it spreads vigorously via creeping runners.
Red clover will attract bees, which is an area of concern if children frequently play on the lawn. It is a nitrogen fixing plant, meaning it draws nitrogen from the air, which is stored and used by the plant.
Leaves
Typical of clovers in that they are trifoliate, they have three leaflets, with a pale crescent on the outer margin of the leaf.
Flowers
The flowers are red – pale pink in colour, ball shaped and are commonly seen between May and October. They are slightly larger than white clover flowers.
Habitat
Red clover will happily grow in most types of soil.
Cultural Control
- Hand weeding may be practical for a few plants.
- Rake red clover into and upright position prior to cutting the lawn. This will help remove sections of the week, thus weakening it.
- Encourage a healthy lawn with good lawn management techniques to prevent weeds from invading.
Chemical control
Red clover can be controlled with selective weed killers. For the best results in controlling clovers, use a product that contains the ingredient mecoprop-p.
