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There are a lot of cultivars of white clover, Trifolium repens. These are
divided into "small," "intermediate," and "large" varieties based on the
size of the plant and its flowers. Dutch white clover is an "intermediate"
variety. Ladino, a "large" variety that originated in Italy, is considered a
type of white clover by most people (but some people argue that it is a
different species). The small varieties are often referred to as "wild white
clover," but as far as I can find out they are not native either. Roland's
Flora says that all of the Trifolium spp. found in Nova Scotia are
introduced from Europe and Asia.
Apparently pollinators are not as attracted to Ladino as they are to the
small and intermediate varieties of white clover. But Ladino gets so big
(two to four times the size of common white clover) that it can be cut for
silage or hay, so it doesn't lend itself to lawn mixes the way the
low-growing varieties do (though it is very popular for pastures). As far as
I know it's the small and intermediate varieties, especially the Dutch
white, that are usually used in lawn mixes.
WF
-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of Paul MacDonald
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 3:34 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] white clover
Hi Roland and All
The white clover used in lawns is Trifolium repens
other names might be Ladino or Dutch white. A number
of culitivars have been selected but it is difficult
to produce pure strain seed. It volunteers easily and
as mentioned seeds live a long time in the soil. There
is even a stand at Masons Cabin in Keji - probably
brought there in horse feed many years ago.
The taller white clover is Alsike Clover Trifolium
hybridum which grows in a lot of the Maritimes. It
came originally from Sweden and although listed as a
perennial acts as a biennial so little suited to
lawns. It is very suitable as a soil building legume
when used in rotation with potatoes. As with a number
of legumes care needs be taken when pasturing cattle
or sheep and prehaps deer on pure stands. It will
cause bloat but is a very valuable legume
nevertheless.
Have a good summer
Paul
--- Roland McCormick
<roland.mccormick@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> When you talk about white clover I think of two
> kinds - one is a few inches
> high and seems to be a native plant, the other is
> two or three feet high,
> and I have only seen it in an area where someone has
> a bee hive. Which are
> we talking about here?
>
> Roland.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wild Flora" <herself@wildflora.com>
> To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 1:12 PM
> Subject: RE: [NatureNS] bees and industrial white
> clover
>
>
> > Planting a white or "Dutch" clover lawn is
> probably one of the best things
> > you can do for honeybees. It is primarily
> pollinated by honeybees and is
> > probably the commercial crop most heavily used by
> honeybees worldwide, so
> > much so that "white clover honey" is a recognized
> type of honey, with
> > lighter colour and milder flavor than other
> honeys. (Whether it's the best
> > honey is a matter of taste--I prefer the darker
> honeys myself.)
> >
> > Just like honeybees, white clover isn't native to
> North America (it's from
> > Europe). Our native bees would probably prefer the
> plants they have
> > co-evolved with. That having been said, however,
> white clover has been in
> > North America for a long time and it appears that
> quite a lot of native
> > bees
> > and other wildlife have adapted to using it.
> Bumblebees and some other
> > native bees are quite fond of it, also bee flies,
> some butterflies, and
> > skippers. It's reported to be a larval food plant
> for the caterpillars of
> > several moths and butterflies including the
> clouded sulfur. (Judging from
> > the number of sulphurs I saw fluttering over my
> neighbour's pasture when
> > the
> > clover was blooming last summer, I'd say that must
> be true.) White clover
> > is
> > also eaten by ruffed Grouse, ring-necked pheasant,
> some songbirds, some
> > small mammals, and white-tailed deer. (Some
> strains contain a glycoside
> > that
> > can be poisonous if a grazing animal eats too
> much, but evidently they
> > have
> > to eat an awful lot before they experience any ill
> effects.)
> >
> > The only harm to bees that I'm aware of is when
> flowering clover attracts
> > them to an area where pesticides are going to be
> used. This is a
> > recognized
> > problem in nonorganic apple orchards, where white
> clover is often regarded
> > as a weed.
> >
> > The biggest concern about white clover from a
> gardener's point of view is
> > that it does tend to be spread quite aggressively
> both by seed and by
> > runners. The seed can persist for years in soil,
> so getting rid of it once
> > you've planted it is very difficult.
> >
> > One possible problem is that selection and
> breeding of white clover are
> > constantly producing new strains, particularly
> ones that are more
> > winter-hardy, and whenever a new cultivar is
> introduced there is always a
> > risk that some quality needed by pollinators will
> have been lost. However,
> > I'm not aware of any reports of cultivars of white
> clover that have lost
> > the
> > ability to support pollinators.
> >
> > In short, if you want a lawn, are fond of bees,
> and don't mind using
> > nonnative plants, white clover is probably an
> excellent choice.
> >
> > Wild Flora
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> > Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.6/865 -
> Release Date: 6/24/2007
> > 8:33 AM
> >
>
>
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