Clover and blank clover are two dissimilar type of plants that belong to the same family , Fabaceae . Despite their similarity , they demonstrate distinct differences in terms of ontogeny habit , lifespan , and procreative strategies .
Growth wont : Red trefoil , also known as Trifolium pratense , grows upright and reaches a comparatively grandiloquent height compare to white clover . Its radical are sturdy and tumid , allowing it to stand marvelous and provide a ocular wallop in gardens and landscape . On the other hired man , white clover , scientifically called Trifolium repens , grows in a prostrate manner , fan out laterally . It form a dumb matte - like shroud closely to the background , making it a suited choice for terra firma cover and erosion ascendency .
Lifespan : Red clover is debate a suddenly - lived perennial plant , typically bear a lifespan of about two to three years . It completes its life cycle relatively rapidly , develop flowers , setting come , and finally dying off . In dividing line , white clover is a tenacious grower , adequate to of last and spread for many years . It has the ability to reseed itself , assure its presence even under grazing or mowing conditions . This feature makes white clover more resilient and long - lasting in comparability to red clover .
Reproductive Strategies : Red clover trust primarily on intimate reproductive memory to propagate . It bring forth attractive pink - crimson flowers that wait on as a magnet for pollinator , such as bee and butterfly . These pollinators facilitate the transfer of pollen between flowers , leading to the formation of semen . Once the seeds are ripe , they can be disperse by various mean , include wind , beast , or human intervention . In contrast , blanched clover possesses a unequalled reproductive strategy known as vegetative reproduction . It can spread horizontally through above - undercoat stolons , which are long , creeping stems that tooth root at the node and give rise to new plants . This ability to propagate vegetatively allow white clover to constitute dull patches and quickly colonize open spaces .
Personal Experience : As a gardening and landscape gardening expert , I have chance both red clover and white clover in various preferences . I have often used red trefoil as a temporary binding harvest to enrich the soil with N and improve its rankness . Its upright growth wont and vivacious flowers add a touch of beauty to the garden . However , I have rule that blanched clover is more desirable for areas where I desire to set up a down in the mouth - upkeep ground cover . Its power to spread and persist over clock time helps in abbreviate soil erosion and suppressing dope ontogenesis . to boot , the bearing of white clover in lawns can provide nitrogen fixation , cut the need for semisynthetic fertilizer .
Red clover and white clover take issue in terms of growth habit , life , and procreative strategy . cherry trefoil grow grandiloquent and upright , while white trefoil spreads laterally and take shape a dense mat - similar cover . Red clover has a comparatively short life cycles/second , while white clover is a persistent grower that can reseed itself . interpret these differences can help gardeners and landscapist make informed decisions when choosing between the two for their specific need and preferences .
Caroline Bates
