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Fabaceae FAMILY

Trifolium dubium

Trifolium dubium

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitAnnual
Growth—

Trifolium dubium is a plant of the temperate to subtropical zones, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 12 - 18°c, but can tolerate 5 - 25°c[1]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 700 - 900mm, but tolerates 570 - 1,200mm[1]. Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun[2]. Succeeds in poor soils, calcareous sols and sandy soils[2, 3]. Grows well in a wild flower lawn[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 7[1]. Established plants are drought tolerant[3]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[2]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[4]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring to early summer in situ. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Trifolium+dubium>

Pollinators

Bees

References

  1. [1]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]AgroAtlas — http://www.agroatlas.ru/en/index.html ↩︎An on-line database of economic plants of Russia and the surrounding countries that formed the USSR, giving botanical descriptions, distribution, habitats and uses. It also gives comprehensive information on climate, soil, pests, diseases etc
  4. [4]A - Z of Companion Planting. — Allardice.P. · Cassell Publishers Ltd. · 1993 · ISBN 0-304-34324-2 ↩︎A well produced and very readable book.
  5. [5]Flora of the British Isles. — Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. · Cambridge University Press · 1962 · ISBN - ↩︎A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
  6. [6]Native American Ethnobotany — Moerman. D. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 1998 · ISBN 0-88192-453-9 ↩︎Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.