The illustrated growing guide
Crimson Clover
Trifolium incarnatum
Family Fabaceae
Grown as an annual
The prettiest cover crop there is — a fall or spring sowing that fixes nitrogen, smothers weeds, and erupts into a breathtaking sheet of crimson flower spikes that bees and beneficial insects mob, before you turn it under to feed the soil. Sow it in bare beds over winter (mild zones) or before summer crops, and terminate at bloom. Beauty and soil-building in one packet.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Fast growth
Attracts bees
None winter chill
From the print shop
The closest print we make
We don’t print Trifolium incarnatum. The closest we have is Trifolium pratense (“Red Clover”) in the Tea Herbs collection — the same genus, Trifolium, not the same species.
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will crimson clover suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what crimson clover actually needs.
Life cycleAnnualCrimson Clover at a glance
Common crimson clover problems
- Almost none
- Almost none
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow crimson clover: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate crimson clover
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The year
What crimson clover asks for, month by month.
The crimson clover year, month by month
BloomWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
The crimson clover year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar bloom
- Apr bloom
- May bloom
- Jun quiet month
- Jul quiet month
- Aug quiet month
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Crimson Clover in the garden system
- Groundcover layer annual
- N-fixer
- Nectary/insectary
What crimson clover is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Harvesting & storing crimson clover
Cover crop — cut/till at flowering as green manure; also a beautiful bee forage.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of crimson clover, ruled as a catalogue.
Best crimson clover varieties & cultivars
'Dixie'; 'AU Robin' (reseeding)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to crimson cloveryet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Crimson Clover questions, answered straight.
Is crimson clover safe for kids and pets?
Crimson Clover is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest crimson clover?
Cover crop — cut/till at flowering as green manure; also a beautiful bee forage.
How do you propagate crimson clover?
From seed.
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Elsewhere
Where crimson clover sits in the library.
White Clover
Hairy Vetch
Phacelia (Lacy Phacelia)
Alfalfa