STRAWBERRY CLOVER 



By E. A. Hollowell, senior agronomist, Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, 

 Bureau of Plant Industry 



Strawberry clover (Trifolium Jragiferum) , one of the more recent 

 clover emigrants, promises fco play an important role in the reclamation 

 of seeped, sahne, and alkaline soils, now considered as waste lands in 

 the Western States. The growth of this clover is not limited to salty 

 conditions, as it will thrive on low, wet, nonsaline soils as wefTand 

 will tolerate flooding "for considerable periods. 



This clover is a perennial, low-growing, pasture legume spreading 

 vegetatively by creeping stems that root at the nodes. The leaves, 

 stems, and habit of growth are somewhat similar to white clover, 

 making it generally difficult to distinguish, when not in bloom, from 

 certain types of white clover. The flower heads, seed pods, and seed 

 are very distinctive, however, making identification easy (fig. 1). In 

 general the flower heads are round, although sometimes they are 

 slightly pointed, and in color they are mostly pink to white, resembling 

 a strawberry, from which fact the common name is derived. 



As the seed matures the calyx around each seed becomes inflated, 

 appearing like miniature balloon capsules, and shades from gray to 

 light brown in color. When ripe, these capsules break off from the 

 head and readily float in water or may be blown by the wind. The 

 seed color varies but to the eye is principally reddish brown or yellow 

 flecked with dark markings, Most samples contain a few seeds with- 

 out markings. The seed is much larger than that of white clover but 

 slightly smaller than red clover seed. 



Strawberry cloverjs palatable and is relished by all classes of live- 

 stock and poultry, but it seldom grows tall enough to harvest for hay. 

 The tolerance of strawberry clover to seeped, saline, and alkaline soils 

 containing concentrations of salts that inhibit the growth of most 

 other crop plants is of particular importance. 



Origin 



Strawberry clover is native to the eastern Mediterranean and south- 

 ern Asia Minor countries, but it has been widely and inadvertently 

 spread by man. It has been observed in every continent of the world ; 

 and wherever it is grown, the value of the pasture herbage has in- 

 creased. In Australia its culture on low-lying overflow lands has 

 become extensive. 



How and when strawberry clover was first introduced into the 

 western part of the United States is a matter of conjecture. Plant 

 specimens were collected near Philadelphia, Pa,, as early as 1878. 

 Seed was brought into this country as early as 1900, but available 

 records do not indicate that it was tested under conditions where it 

 now appears to have a definite place. In many places it has been 

 found growing after the land had been seeded to Australian grasses 

 and saltbush, and it has been assumed that the clover seed was mixed 



2 Issued July 1939 



143644°— 39 



