Is it easy to grow from seed?

Yes, it germinates readily when sown in cool, moist soil.

Does it need fertilizer?

No, it fixes its own nitrogen from the air.

Plant guide

Crimson Clover.

Trifolium incarnatum

Pronounced try-FOH-lee-um in-kar-NAY-tum

Also known as Carnation Clover, Incarnate Clover, Crimson Clover, Italian Clover, Scarlet Clover

Trifolium incarnatum — Photo by Rita Wright (CC BY) via gbif

Crimson clover is a beautiful annual legume often used as a cover crop or for its striking red blooms. It adds nitrogen to your soil while providing a lovely splash of color in the garden. You will find it is quite easy to grow from seed in the cooler months.

Another photo of Crimson Clover — Photo by Juan Carlos Caicedo Hernández (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual legume
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 1 to 3 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 6 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

Care

Sow seeds directly into the soil during autumn or early spring. Keep the area moist until germination occurs and watch for signs of wilting during dry spells. It thrives best when it has plenty of sun and well drained soil.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged while the plants are establishing.
Feeding: As a nitrogen fixing legume, this plant typically does not require supplemental fertilizer.
Pruning: You can mow or cut back the plants once they finish flowering to incorporate them as green manure.
Repotting: As an annual, this plant completes its life cycle in one season and does not need repotting.
Soil: Well drained loam
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0
Temperature: -15 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Annual, typically 1 year.
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Safety

People: This plant is not known to be toxic to humans.
Pets: This plant is generally considered non toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: The small seeds and dried flower heads pose a minor choking hazard to small children.
Contact allergens: Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation from handling the foliage.
Airborne allergens: The pollen can cause seasonal allergies in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: While the flowers are edible, avoid consuming large quantities if you have a history of legume allergies.

How to identify it

Bright crimson red flower spikes
Soft hairy stems and leaves
Three lobed clover leaves
Upright growth habit

Height: 0.2 to 0.6m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.3m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: crimson, red, 1 to 5cm
Fruit: brown, Summer

Problems to watch for

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: Fall, Early spring
In containers: It grows well in containers, but prefers the ground for its deep root system.

Sow this clover with grasses to create a balanced green manure that improves soil health.

Grows well with

Winter Wheat · They grow well together as a cover crop mix.
Oats · Oats provide structural support for the clover.

Similar species

Red Clover · It is a perennial relative with similar flower shapes.
White Clover · A common low growing relative used in lawns.

Science

Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Trifolium
Order: Fabales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe and the Mediterranean region.
Conservation: It is not of conservation concern and is widely cultivated.

It thrives in open fields and disturbed soil where it outcompetes weeds by growing rapidly in cool weather.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, soil nitrogen fixer
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: cover crop, green manure, ornamental, pollinator forage

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 4/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 3/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is it easy to grow from seed?: Yes, it germinates readily when sown in cool, moist soil.
Does it need fertilizer?: No, it fixes its own nitrogen from the air.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Trifolium refers to the three leaflets, while the species name incarnatum means flesh colored or crimson.

Good to know

It is often called crimson clover because of its striking red blooms.
It is a winter annual in many regions.
Farmers use it to improve soil structure.
It is a member of the pea family.

Keep your crimson clover growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.