Red clover

Trifolium pratense L.

Pollinator Plant
Nitrogen-Fixing Legume
Weedy

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

Not applicable; this guide writes no eating line for red clover (catalog category: ornamental).

Hazard type

No human-hazard entry on the NC State or RHS pages, and NC State has no poison section; this is not a safety clearance.

Hazard route

none named by the sources used

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

The safety check found no ASPCA page for red clover; the ASPCA page for alsike clover (a different species) lists horses only. USDA NRCS notes red clover can cause bloat in grazing livestock. Not listed means no pet-safety verdict was found, not that the plant is safe. Keep pets from eating it and call a vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line if a pet seems unwell.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones: USDA zones 3-9 (NC State Extension). RHS hardiness H7 (RHS system, not converted).
Light: full sun
Water needs: low
Mature size: 6 inches to 2 feet tall and 8 to 20 inches wide (NC State). RHS: reaches 30 to 50 cm (about 12 to 20 inches) in its description, maximum height 0.5 to 1 m and spread 0.1 to 0.5 m. USDA NRCS: stems average 18 inches in the medium type and 24 to 30 inches in the mammoth type.

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

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