Trifolium aureum


Trifolium aureum, known by the various common names large hop trefoil, large trefoil, large hop clover, golden clover or Hop clover, is a species of clover native to much of Eurasia.
Large hop trefoil is a small erect herbaceous biennial plant growing to 10–30 cm tall. Like all clovers, it has leaves divided into three sessile leaflets, each leaflet 15–25 mm long and 6–9 mm broad. Its yellow flowers are arranged into small, elongated round inflorescences 12–20 mm diameter, located at the end of the stem. Each individual flower is decumbent. As they age, the flowers become brown and paper-like. The fruit is a pod usually containing two seeds.
The closely related Trifolium campestre is a similar, but shorter, spreading, species with smaller leaves and flowers. The middle leaflet of its leaves also has a short rachis.

Cultivation and uses

The plant is very common, and grows well on poor, undisturbed grounds. While it probably has good nutritive values, perennial species are favored as forage.

Distribution

Trifolium aureum is native throughout Europe ; western and northern Asia and the Middle East ; and Africa.
Trifolium aureum is widely naturalized in North America: it was first introduced to the U.S. in 1800, where it is now found in the western and eastern regions of the country, but not in the middle, or very much in the southern states. It is also now found in Canada in all of its southerly provinces.

Similar plants

Large hop trefoil, Trifolium aureum, may be confused with other plants that have three leaflets and small yellow flowers, such as hop trefoil, lesser hop trefoil, black medick, and yellow woodsorrel.