Is rabbitfoot clover a weed?

It is often considered a weed in manicured lawns but is a valuable native plant in meadows.

Does it need much water?

No, it is quite drought tolerant once established.

Plant guide

Hare's foot clover.

Trifolium arvense

Pronounced try-FOH-lee-um ar-VEN-see

Also known as Hare's Foot Clover, Hare's-foot Clover, Hare-foot Clover, Hare-foot Trefoil, Haresfoot Clover, Haresfoot Trefoil, Rabbit-foot Clover, Rabbitfoot Clover

rabbitfoot clover — Photo by Gilles San Martin (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist

This charming annual herb is known for its soft, fuzzy flower heads that look just like tiny rabbit feet. It thrives in sandy, dry soils and is often found in fields or along roadsides. You will love how it adds a delicate, wild texture to your garden space.

Another photo of Hare's foot clover — Photo by Doug Miller (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual herb
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 12 inches
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

Keep this plant in a sunny spot with well draining soil to mimic its natural open habitat. Watch for wilting if the soil stays too wet, as it prefers to dry out between drinks. It is a hardy grower that rarely needs much fuss.

Watering: Allow the top inch of soil to dry out completely before watering again.
Feeding: Apply a light, balanced liquid fertilizer sparingly during the growing season.
Pruning: Trim back spent flower heads to encourage a tidy appearance.
Repotting: As an annual, you will typically sow fresh seeds each year rather than repotting.
Soil: Sandy or gravelly soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Temperature: -20 to 35°C
Humidity: 30 to 70%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Annual, typically 1 year
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes
Water running straight through the pot

Safety

People: This plant is not known to be toxic to humans.
Pets: This plant is not considered toxic to cats or dogs.
Children: The small, dry seed heads could pose a minor choking hazard if ingested by small children.
Contact allergens: The fine hairs on the stems and leaves may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: Pollen from this plant can be a minor trigger for those with seasonal allergies.
Edibility: While not toxic, the plant is generally considered unpalatable and is not consumed by humans.

How to identify it

Soft, cylindrical, greyish pink flower heads
Small trifoliate leaves with fine hairs
Slender, branching, hairy stems
Grows in low, spreading clumps

Height: 0.05 to 0.4m
Spread: 0.1 to 0.3m
Leaves: green, gray-green, deciduous
Flowers: pink, white, 0.5 to 1.5cm
Fruit: brown, late summer

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
Leaf SpotUncommon
Root RotUncommon
RustUncommon
Slugs and SnailsUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: As an annual, the plant dies back completely after setting seed in autumn. You can leave the dried remains to provide winter interest or clear them away once the seeds have dispersed.
In containers: It grows well in shallow containers, but ensure the pot has excellent drainage.

Direct Sowing

1. Clear a patch of soil in a sunny location.
2. Scatter seeds thinly over the surface in spring.
3. Lightly rake the soil to cover the seeds.
4. Keep the area moist until germination occurs.

Pair this clover with other low growing, sun loving wildflowers to create a resilient meadow patch.

Grows well with

Common Yarrow — They both thrive in similar dry, sunny conditions.
Field Poppy — They create a beautiful, naturalistic meadow aesthetic together.

Similar species

Red Clover — It is a larger, more robust relative with similar flower structures.

Science

Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Trifolium
Order: Fabales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa.
Conservation: It is a common, widespread species and is not of conservation concern.

It survives in nutrient poor, sandy soils by forming symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing bacteria.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, larval host plant
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ground cover, meadow planting, soil stabilization

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Light: 8/9
Temperature: 5/9
Nutrients: 2/9
Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Moisture: 3/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is rabbitfoot clover a weed?: It is often considered a weed in manicured lawns but is a valuable native plant in meadows.
Does it need much water?: No, it is quite drought tolerant once established.

Where the name comes from

The name Trifolium comes from the Latin for three leaves, while arvense means of the field.

Good to know

It thrives in poor, sandy soils where other plants struggle.
The plant is an annual that completes its entire life cycle in one season.
It is often found growing in disturbed areas like roadsides and sandy fields.

Also in

Drought-tolerant plants

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This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.