Trifolium arvense L.
Hare's-foot Clover
Hare's-foot clover is a native annual with a soft, distinctive charm: instead of the bold heads of other clovers, it produces slender, cylindrical flower heads densely covered in silky hairs, so that they look and feel like a small animal's foot. The tiny flowers tucked among the down are pale pink to greyish, and the whole plant has a downy, almost silvery appearance.
About
Hare's-foot clover is a native annual with a soft, distinctive charm: instead of the bold heads of other clovers, it produces slender, cylindrical flower heads densely covered in silky hairs, so that they look and feel like a small animal's foot. The tiny flowers tucked among the down are pale pink to greyish, and the whole plant has a downy, almost silvery appearance.
It is a specialist of dry, open, often acidic ground, thriving on sandy and gravelly soils, heaths, dunes, bare banks and disturbed places in full sun, where taller plants struggle. Flowering through the summer and into early autumn, its small blooms attract bees and other insects, and as a legume it helps to colonise and enrich impoverished soils. Its tolerance of drought and poor, free-draining substrates makes it a useful, characterful addition to seed mixes designed for sandy, sunny and low-fertility sites.
Also known as
Hare-foot Clover · Hare-foot Trefoil · Haresfoot Trefoil · Hare’s-foot clover · Rabbit-foot Clover · Rabbitfoot Clover · Stone Clover · hairy clover · old field clover · rabbit's-foot clover
Synonyms
Trifolium agrestinum · Trifolium agrestinum lagopinum · Trifolium agrestinum littorale · Trifolium arenivagum · Trifolium arvense agrestinum · Trifolium arvense brittingeri · Trifolium arvense gracile · Trifolium arvense komlodiae · Trifolium arvense pulchellum
In our seed mixes
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.