Overview
Yes, Clover Is a Weed
Clover is a weed that can take over your yard with small flowers and petal shaped leaves. While clover can be grown purposefully, in a deer food plot for example, many people consider clover a nuisance, and any unwanted plant is considered a weed. White clover, sometimes called Dutch clover, is very common especially in cool season grasses.
It's a perennial broadleaf weed and is often found in lawns, fields, ditches, and other low-maintenance areas.
Appearance
Clover is easy to identify:
The leaves of white clover (Trifolium repens) are more circular than some varieties, and can be confused with other weeds including the heart-shaped leaves of common oxalis/woodsorrel (Oxalis acetocella) and the oval-shaped leaves of black medic (Medicago lupulina). Note the differences in leaf shapes shown above while identifying weeds on your property.
- Each stem has three small leaves (or leaflets) that are petal shaped and have a white "v" or crescent on each leaf, and are about a half inch long.
- White clover will usually bloom between early spring and late fall. The flowers are very small and are white or light pink. The small blooms form a spherical cluster that looks like a small ball of white petals.
- Clover is a low growing plant and the stems creep along the top surface, although the stems that branch off can reach up to a foot tall.
- They have a shallow root system and don't tolerate drought conditions well.
