Trifolium pratense

TRIFOLIUM pratense
Red Clover, Purple Clover,
Soukie Soo

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Type:
Perennial

Height: 4-12" (10-30 cm)

Flowering Time: Spring, summer, autumn

Flower Colour: Pink

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Botanical Classification:

Class:
Angiospermae (Angiosperms)

Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons)

Superorder: Rosidae (Rose Superorder)

Order: Fabales (Bean Order)

Family: Papilionaceae (Pea Family)

Genus: Trifolium (Trefoil or Clover)

Species: pratense (of fields)

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Trifolium pratense is one of the most well-known wildflowers. It is a woody, leafy plant, often only a few inches high, but reaching over a foot amongst longer grasses and hedge plants. It has large trifoliate leaves with a distinct lighter zone, and the whole plant is softly hairy. The dense flowerheads are composed of many small elongated pea-flowers, usually in deep pink. It grows wild on grassy banks, roadsides and waste places.
Trifolium pratense has been used in traditional medicine as a muscle relaxant, an antiseptic and to treat kidney and skin problems.
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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

Germination:
Autumn
Outside ( days)

Seed Pod The seed pod is a small narrow pea pod. Each flower in the flower head produces
a seed pod, which is enclosed in the dead flower.
Seed The seeds are very small brown peas. There are few seeds in a seed pod.
Seedling The seedling has three rounded leaflets.

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				Germination: Autumn Outside ( days)
Seed Pod The seed pod is a small narrow pea pod. Each flower in the flower head produces a seed pod, which is enclosed in the dead flower. Seed The seeds are very small brown peas. There are few seeds in a seed pod. Seedling The seedling has three rounded leaflets.