Jacquesverlaeken / CC BY-SA 4.0
garden
Crimson clover
Trifolium incarnatum
EdibleToxic — Use Caution
Overview
A stunning cover crop that produces cone-shaped crimson flower heads so vivid they look painted, beloved by gardeners and farmers alike. Crimson clover fixes substantial nitrogen in the soil while providing one of the most beautiful cover crop displays imaginable. It's a cool-season annual that winter-kills in cold climates or can be mowed before setting seed in milder areas.
Growing Conditions
LightFull Sun
MoistureModerate
Hardiness Zones8b — 8
Height0.61m
Spread0.53m
Growth HabitVine
LifespanAnnual
Bloom ColorRed
Pollinator Valuehigh
Companion Planting & Soil
Good Companions
Soil pH5.5 — 7
Soil TypeWell-drained loam or sandy soil; adaptable
Planting Calendar
When to sow, transplant, and harvest by growing zone.
| Zone | Action | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold (1-2) | Direct Sow | May — Jun | Direct sow as spring cover crop; annual legume; nitrogen fixer; crimson flowers |
| Cold (1-2) | Direct Sow | Aug — Aug | Late summer sow; may winterkill in zones 1-2 — provides dead mulch |
| Cool (3-4) | Direct Sow | Mar — Apr | Spring sow for summer green manure; or fall sow for overwintering |
| Cool (3-4) | Direct Sow | Aug — Sep | Fall sow; overwinters in zone 4+ with snow cover |
| Moderate (5-7) | Direct Sow | Sep — Oct | Fall sow; overwinters and blooms in spring; mow before seed set to terminate |
| Moderate (5-7) | Harvest | Apr — May | Mow or till in at early bloom stage 2-3 weeks before planting cash crop |
| Warm (8-9) | Direct Sow | Sep — Nov | Fall sow; excellent winter cover; fixes 70-150 lbs nitrogen per acre |
| Warm (8-9) | Harvest | Mar — Apr | Terminate at peak bloom; let decompose 2 weeks before planting |
| Hot (10+) | Direct Sow | Oct — Dec | Fall/winter sow; stunning red blooms in spring; great bee forage |
Uses
Culinary
- Flowers are edible and make beautiful salad garnishes
Other Uses
- Nitrogen-fixing cover crop (80-150 lbs N/acre)
- Stunning ornamental ground cover
- Premier early-season bee and pollinator plant
Safety Notes
ducing allelopathic chemicals (chemicals that are toxic to other plants). An Ohio study found that using barley as a cover crop suppressed yellow foxtail ( Setaria glauca ) emergence by 81% (Creamer et al., 1996a).
