Clover refers to plants that grow in the temperate climate zone. Moist soil is well suited for growing, drought adversely affects its growth. During the growing season, low temperatures are favorable. Seedlings tolerate light frosts well. Severe frosts with sufficient snow cover do not have a negative effect on clover. Grass is sown in the spring, having previously cultivated and fertilized the soil.
Growing conditions
This plant belongs to the Clover genus, the Legume family, the Moth subfamily. Europe is considered his homeland. It has cold resistance, its seeds germinate at 2-3 degrees, seedlings appear on the 5-8th day. He loves moisture, with its lack of growth slows down, and sometimes the plant dies.
On the other hand, when waterlogged, the plant will lie down. Clover (description below) is shade-tolerant, unpretentious to soils, but prefers sod-podzolic, gray forest and black earth, does not like saline lands. It belongs to green manure plants, forming nodules containing nitrogen on the roots. Contains valuable nutrientsproperties due to its high protein content and is used as a fodder crop. Meadow clover is an excellent honey plant, but only bees with long proboscises can collect honey. It has been used in folk medicine since time immemorial.
Description of clover
The genus of clover in Latin is called Trifolium, which means shamrock. This name is given for the structure of the leaves. All types of clover have a ternary structure; plants with four leaves are quite rare. At night, they fold and rise, and straighten out at dawn. The main stem is shortened, contains a large number of basal leaves, in the axils of which flower stalks grow. Stems drooping, ribbed, hollow or filled inside. The shape of the bushes is semi-sprawling or sprawling. The leaves have a complex trifoliate structure and contain white spots in the middle of the leaf plate. Color from bright to dark green. The ovoid shape of the stipules is pointed. They are fused with the petiole of the leaf and slightly lowered. The flowers are small (red, pink, yellow, white and other colors) collected in inflorescences in the form of a spherical head, in some species - brushes. Each flower has a green calyx and a five-petalled corolla, which has a moth-like structure. The flower contains one pistil and ten stamens. The fruit is leathery with 1–2, rarely 3–6 seeds.
They are very small and are colored in different types of clover from light yellow to dark brown, bean-shaped.
Inflorescences and flowers
Inflorescence is often confused with flowers,so, the red cap of clover is an inflorescence called a head.
Inflorescence - these are small flowers located quite close to each other. Their advantage is that they are easier to spot by insects. This increases the efficiency of pollination. There are complex or simple inflorescence. Clover has the last one and is represented by:
- Head. The thick main axis is slightly shortened, on top of which flowers on short pedicels are located in a tight bunch.
- Brush. Small pedicels one after another depart from a common axis, and there are flowers at their ends.
Growing clover
Seeds bought in a specialized store are effective for clover propagation. The cleared from weeds and the processed place is sown. Sowing them in early spring, seedlings can be expected in about ten days. The root system is formed very quickly and stems and leaves begin to grow immediately. An unpretentious plant is easy to grow. It is enough to fertilize and water in dry weather.
Types of clover
In Russia, this is a common culture. It is mainly used for animal feed, but there are also decorative clover varieties that adorn lawns, alpine slides, and lawns. In total, there are about 300 types of clover, the most common are:
Meadow - its height is from 40 to 65 cm, it is used as a fodder crop. It has an extensive root system that enriches the soil with nitrogen
Leaves trifoliate, compound. The flowers form a simple type of clover inflorescence in the form of a spherical head. Coloring from bright red to red-violet. The seeds are brownish, small, bean-shaped.
- Mountain - perennial plant, with roots deeply penetrating into the ground. Stems are not branching, cylindrical. The leaves are elliptical, serrated at the edges, with a smooth surface. The clover inflorescence is white, in the form of a ball, blooms in mid-June. The bean-shaped fruit contains light brown seeds that ripen throughout the summer period.
- Red - used for livestock feed and in cooking as a vitamin supplement. The leaves contain sugars, protein and fats. It is used in salads and added to bread.
- Reddish - perennial, large plant up to 60 cm high. The leaves are large three-lobed, blooms in early July. Crimson-red clover inflorescences are brush-shaped. Blooms for a long period, listed in the Red Book.
- Pink is a hybrid plant derived from white and meadow clover. The leaf blades are oval, bluntly pointed and have notches. The tap root reaches a depth of up to two meters, the lateral branches branch up to 50 cm. Small clover flowers are collected in spherical heads and white-pink and pink in color. The fruit is oblong, two-seeded. Heart-shaped dark green seeds.
Lawn Clover
For the design of lawns and lawns often use a perennial unpretentious plant clover. White clover is most suitable for this, as itundersized, has thin stems, and after mowing the site looks quite neat.
The plant is best planted on loamy and sandy soils with little acidity. In addition, clover does not need to be sown annually, it quickly spreads over the entire area and completely covers the entire surface. The plant begins to bloom from the second year. Small spherical clover inflorescences cover the entire sown area with a white carpet. These dwarf fluffy flowers will please twice a season from May to October.
Advantages of white clover over other lawn grass
- One-time landing. The lawn lasts a long time, clover is an unpretentious plant, it grows back quickly after trimming with a trimmer.
- Green looks great from spring to fall.
- Does not require weeding, filling all free space with shoots.
- Minimum lawn maintenance costs.
- Clover flowers collected in inflorescences are not whimsical.
- No feeding required. Nodules with nitrogen, forming plants on the roots, fertilize the soil.
Useful properties
Clover is a natural immune stimulant. Infusions and decoctions from this plant improve the body's defense response. It has long been used to cleanse the liver and blood, restore impaired bowel function.
Clover contains vitamins A, C, E, B and the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, iron and calcium. Aerial part: flower, inflorescence, fruit of clovermeadow grass are rich in alkaloids, glycosides and essential oils. The plant has an antitumor effect. It is used as an effective remedy for all types of cancerous neoplasms. The content of flavonoids in its composition strengthens the walls of blood vessels and improves their elasticity. Choleretic, antimicrobial and antisclerotic properties are highly valued. Clover honey, added to green tea, removes toxins from the body. The astringent properties of the plant are used to stop various types of bleeding. In cosmetology, clover is used to cleanse the skin, removing purulent and acne rashes.
Use in cooking
Clover is used as a main dish or as an addition. The flowers and leaves of the plant have nutritional value, they are rich in vitamins and minerals and can be used to make salads. Light soups on vegetable or meat broth are also prepared from it. Egg and sour cream are added to the finished dish. For dressing soups, clover powder obtained from dried leaves is used. It is also added when baking bread and cakes. For those who watch their figure, nutritious clover cutlets are suitable, to which they add cabbage leaves and quinoa.
Conclusion
Clover has long been used in animal husbandry to feed animals; in terms of nutritional properties, it is not inferior to concentrated feed. It has a good effect on the structure of the soil, supplying it with nitrogen fertilizer.
Some species of this plant are valuable honey plants. Clover honey has a pleasant taste and aroma, does not crystallize,is of high quality. Long flowering and a high content of pollen and nectar in clover inflorescences give good honey productivity.
