Crimson clover is a cool-season annual, native to Europe and the Middle East. In North Carolina, it is grown as a winter cover crop or a winter forage. It is a member of the bean family (Fabaceae). The species epithet is Latin for “flesh-colored” and refers to the blood-red color of the flowers. While crimson clover prefers a loamy, fertile, well-drained soil, it is remarkably adaptable, able to tolerate a range of soil fertility and pH. It is intolerant of soggy or salty conditions. It grows best in full sun. It should be sown in place (drills or broadcast) in late autumn. Some cultivars will reseed and have the potential to become weedy. Like other clovers, this species is a nitrogen-fixing legume and can improve soil fertility, especially when grown in conjunction with grain crops. Like other cover crops, it is also useful for suppressing weeds and preventing erosion. The added bonus of very showy, erect spike-like racemes of crimson flowers in the spring makes this plant more attractive than other cover crops or clovers. Establish crimson clover permanently in a meadow or grow it as a temporary winter cover crop in any garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No major pests or diseases. It is susceptible to some root-knot nematodes.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Erect
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Denticulate
Leaf feel
Papery
Leaf size
< 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are trifoliolate. Each leaflet is obovate or orbicular with a finely denticulate margin.
Flower color
Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Irregular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Crimson clover produces erect, dense racemes of small, crimson flowers. The flowers are small, but the inflorescences are very showy. They attract bees.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe & the Middle East
Distribution
Naturalized throughout the USA, except in the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains.
Wildlife value
Excellent forage for deer; also provided good habitat for quail.
Managing Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Soybean With Cover Crops; Planting Guide for Forage Crops in North Carolina; Winter Annual Cover Crops; White-Tailed Deer